They caused a surprise in 2024

The unexpected happened over the last year thanks to these athletes.

Like every year, the world of sports has not been without astonishing moments, unexpected results and triumphs of underrated athletes and teams, in 2024.

For many sports fans, these are often the most satisfying endings.

As we take stock of the year that is coming to an end, here is a list of 10 people or teams who have caused surprise in the world of sport over the last 12 months.

1 – The Canadian quartet who won gold in the 4 x 100m at the Paris Games

After narrowly qualifying for the grand final and while its big star was hampered by a groin injury, Canada caused quite a surprise by winning gold in the 4 x 100 m relay for the second time in its story, last August, during the Olympic Games. At the time of the last relay, the essential Andre De Grasse put on the gas to make up the deficit and cross the finish line in front of everyone. With a seventh medal in three Games, De Grasse became the most decorated Canadian at the Olympics, tied with swimmer Penny Oleksiak.

2 – Zach Hyman reaches 50 goals

Certainly, this feat was partially achieved in 2023, but it was in 2024 that it came to fruition: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored 54 goals last season, thus experiencing a real explosion at 31 years old. His two previous best totals were 36 and 27 goals. Hyman always seemed to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of elite moves from Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. On the other hand, this season, it's completely the opposite…

3 – The Coyotes pack their bags

After a pathetic saga that lasted years, the NHL finally let the Coyotes leave Arizona last April, when the team was purchased by Utah businessman Ryan Smith for the sum of of US$1.2 billion. The news took everyone by surprise as its outcome was so quick, especially since the commissioner of the League, Gary Bettman, seemed determined to keep a franchise in Arizona. What is much less of a surprise is that once again, Quebec has “gone under the table”…

4 – Lewis Hamilton chez Ferrari

There had been rumors of talks between the two camps, but it seemed unlikely until it materialized last February: seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will continue his career with Ferrari from of the 2025 season, after 12 years and six titles with Mercedes. It must be said that a change of scenery was perhaps to be expected for the 39-year-old Briton, who has never seemed entirely comfortable in the Mercedes single-seaters from the 2022 season onwards, even if he managed to win two races in 2024.

5 – A Quebecer causes one of the surprises of the year in the UFC

Quebec fighter Aiemann Zahabi, a rising star of mixed martial arts in Canada, caused one of the biggest surprises of the year in the UFC by defeating Afghan Javid Basharat by unanimous decision during the “UFC Fight Night” gala on March 2 in Las Vegas. Basharat was previously undefeated and heavily favored by the oddsmakers. None of that intimidated Zahabi, who won again during his fight last November 2 in Edmonton. The Laval resident, undefeated in his last five duels, is a fighter who deserves to be known to the Quebec public and who will end up being so if he continues on this momentum!

6 – A massive success for the LPHF

By all accounts, the first season of the LPHF was a resounding success, which certainly surprised many after a few years of uncertainty in the world of women's hockey. It was good to see the Bell Center filled to capacity last April when Montreal faced Toronto in front of 21,105 spectators, a record for a women's hockey match in all competitions. And this is just the beginning.

7 – Canada surprises at the Copa America

With a new coach, Jesse Marsch, in office for a very short time, Canada did not inspire distrust in the run-up to a Copa America bringing together the powers of all the Americas. The maple leaf still reached the semi-final of the event by beating Venezuela with panache. And he pushed Uruguay, 14^e in the FIFA world rankings, to its limits before losing in the shootout during the “small final”, finishing the tournament in 14^e place.

8 – 50/50 for Ohtani

That Shohei Ohtani excels and illuminates major league baseball with his talent surprises no one. But the Japanese prodigy, who signed a $700 (!!) million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter, still made jaws drop in September by becoming the very first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. And he reached both plateaus on the same night, in a game where he had six hits in six appearances, three home runs, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases. Just that.

9 – Sennecke in Anaheim, Demidov in Montreal

The 2024 NHL draft had a big surprise in store for hockey fans. Ranked the second best prospect of the vintage by most specialists, the Russian Ivan Demidov had little chance of finding himself in the hands of the Canadian, who was ranked fifth. However, this is what happened, in particular thanks to the Ducks' decision to choose center Beckett Sennecke third, who was rather expected around 10^e.

10 – The Jets soar above the competition

It was clear, at the dawn of this season, that the Winnipeg Jets were going to be very competitive in 2024-2025. On the other hand, no one could have predicted that the team would set an NHL record by winning 14 of its first 15 games of the campaign. We had to wait until November 14 and 17^e game of their season to see the Jets suffer a second defeat.