2021 Top Sports Moments
December 30, 2021
By Amadna Scurlock
Sports Writer
Allyson Felix competes in fifth Olympics
Los Angeles native track star Allyson Felix became the most decorated Olympian after competing in the Tokyo games.
Her 49.46s time in the 400m earned her a bronze medal, she also helped the 4x400m relay squad earn gold.
Felix earned 11 Olympic medals during her career.
Bubba Wallace earned first NASCAR Victory
Bubba Wallace became the second Black man to win a cup series race when he won the NASCAR Cup series auto race at the Talladega Superspeedway in late October.
This was the first time a Black man won an elite Cup level race since Wendell Scott in 1963.
Wallace took the lead before a rainstorm hit, causing NASCAR to call off the race and declare him the winner.
Breanna Clark Defends her Gold Medal in Tokyo Paralympics
After earning a gold medal in the 400m T20 during the Rio Games in 2016, Dorsey alum Breanna Clark returned to the Paralympics in Tokyo to win gold in the same event.
She ran it in 55.18 seconds, breaking the world record time of 55.99s that she also set in 2018.
Clark is also the reigning world champion in the 400m T20.
Team USA Women's basketball wins seventh consecutive gold medal
A team made up of several WNBA Icons including Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Gray, and A’ja Wilson had a 6-0 overall record during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The victory marked the fifth gold medal for Taurasi and Sue Bird and the fourth gold medal for Sylvia Fowles. Team USA women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley also won three golds as a player and two as an assistant coach.
Clippers Reach Western Conference Finals for the First Time
After triumphing over a highly competitive first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, the Clippers battled the top-seeded Utah Jazz.
Although they started the series with a 0-2 deficit, the Clippers found ways to dismantle Utah’s gameplay.
The efforts of star Kawhi Leonard and Reggie Jackson and the emergence of Terance Mann were key assets that sent them to the Western Conference Finals.
Simone Biles Withdrawals from All-Around to Focus on Mental Health
Although she paced the qualifiers for the all-around, Simone Biles opted out of competing in the event.
She then noted that she suffered from the Twisties, a mental block where a gymnast loses their spatial awareness while competing.
The Twisties can lead to serious injuries. Biles returned to competition to win bronze on the balance beam.
Stafon Johnson’s First Full Season as Head Coach of the Dorsey Football Team
Stafon Johnson, who was a star running back of the Dorsey Dons football team in the mid-2000s, led the football team to a 10-3 overall record this season.
The Dons defeated the Crenshaw Cougars 27-6 on their road to going undefeated in the Coliseum League.
Rams Trade for Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr
In early November, the Rams traded their second and third-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to the Denver Broncos for Super Bowl champion linebacker Von Miller.
Two weeks later, Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. signed a one-year deal with the Rams. Since then the franchise has reached the top of the NFC West with an 11-4 overall record.
Candace Parker leaves the L.A. Sparks and wins a championship for the Chicago Sky
In late January, WNBA star Candace Parker signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Sky.
Her 13.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals in the playoffs helped the Sky defeat the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals.
Parker spent 13 years with the Los Angeles Sparks, helping them win a championship in 2016.
UCLA and USC Men's Basketball Team Reaches the Elite Eight for the First Time
The Bruins and Trojans made historic runs during the 2020-21 season.
UCLA was the first men’s basketball team to go from the first four to the Final Four.
UCLA stars Johnny Juzang, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell shined on the national stage while USC profiled the efforts of Isaiah and Evan Mobley, Tahj Eaddy and Isaiah White.