The year which has just ended was characterized by the splendid Olympic Games that were held in London and the victory of Spain in the 2012 European football championships, held for the first time in eastern Europe – Ukraine and Poland.

The British once again proved to be great organizers as the Games went by without a hitch, and thankfully any previous fears that the Olympics could have offered a platform for political or, worse, terrorism manifestations did not materialize.

The two weeks of sport passed by like a flash, and sport enthusiasts discovered disciplines that are not normally given so much exposure in the media. What’s more, while many well-known athletes confirmed their skills and strength, other new ones grabbed the headlines for what was possibly the first and only time in their personal history.

That is the beauty of the Olympic Games. The fact that more than 200 nations took part in the events – some with a great contingent and others with just a handful of participants – shows the far-reaching abilities of sport. We can now look forward to the first such great event in a South American country, in Brazil in 2016.

The Spanish football team confirmed its domination in the sport by winning the third major competition in a row. After being crowned European champions in 2008 and winning the World Cup in 2010, the Spaniards kept up the pace and their number one spot in the world by winning the European championship, beating Italy in the final. It was the first time ever that a team managed to win three such competitions on the trot.

2012 will also be remembered for the third Formula 1 title that was won consecutively by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, while in tennis Novak Djokovic ended up as the number one player for the second year running even though his year was not as successful as the previous one. Still, in spite of temporarily losing the position to Federer midway through the season, the Serb came back in the latter stages to clinch the much-coveted place.

In 2103, like in any odd years, there will not be any Olympic Games, football World Cups or European championships. But sports enthusiasts will still have what to talk about.