BEIJING - Here is Xinhua News Agency's selection of the 10 most significant pieces of international sports news in 2023, in chronological order:

Manchester City's German midfielder #8 Ilkay Gundogan (center) lifts the European Cup trophy as they celebrate on the podium after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Manchester City's Brazilian goalkeeper #31 Ederson dives to make a save in the closing minutes of the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan vies for the ball with Manchester City's Phil Foden (right) during the Champions League final soccer match between Manchester City and Inter Milan at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Türkiye, on June 10, 2023.

Champions League

Manchester City won its maiden UEFA Champions League title following a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.

Having already won the English Premier League and the FA Cup, City thus completed a treble, before adding the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup to a trophy-laden 2023.

Denver Nuggets players, coaches and owners pose with the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy after their victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, on June 12, 2023, in Denver. (PHOTO / AP)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (center) shoots while defended by Miami Heat forward Kevin Love, right, during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, on June 12, 2023, in Denver. (PHOTO / AP)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (left) is defended by Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, right, during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals, on June 12, 2023 in Denver. (PHOTO / AP)

NBA

On June 12, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the 2022-23 NBA Finals to win the best-of-seven series 4-1, clinching their first ever championship.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

ALSO READ: Job done, says Jokic, as Nuggets beat Heat to win first NBA title

Qin Haiyang of China competes during the men's 50m breaststroke final of swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, July 26, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Qin Haiyang (right) of China and Kaylee McKeown of Australia pose with a trophy during an award ceremony for the Best Male and Female Swimmer of the Year 2023 in Budapest, Hungary, on Oct 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

World Aquatics Championships

At the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan running from July 14 to 30, China's Qin Haiyang became the first swimmer in history to win all three breaststroke events at a single edition of the championships, while Australian Kaylee McKeown also emerged victorious in three different events in the women's backstroke.

Qin and McKeown were honored as the Best Male and Female Swimmer of 2023 by World Aquatics in October.

Team Spain celebrate during the awarding ceremony of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia, Aug 20, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Spain's Olga Carmona vies for the ball with England's Lauren Hemp (right) during the Women's World Cup soccer final between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia, on Aug 20, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Spain's defender (19) Olga Carmona and England's forward (23) Alessia Russo jump to head the ball during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup final football match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Aug 20, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Women's World Cup

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup took place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to Aug 20, marking the first time for the tournament to be held in the southern hemisphere, to feature 32 teams, and to have more than one host nation.

ALSO READ: Mutineers silent as Spain enjoy Women's World Cup triumph

Spain edged England 1-0 in the final, becoming the second country after Germany to have won both men's and women's World Cup titles.

According to FIFA, the tournament had almost two million spectators inside stadiums and two billion watching all over the world.

Team Germany celebrate winning the FIBA World Cup final in Manila, the Philippines, Sept 10, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Daniel Theis (left) of Germany loses balance during the final against Serbia at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, the Philippines, Sept 10, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Basketball World Cup

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup was staged in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines from Aug 25 to Sept 10, marking the first time in history that the event has been hosted by multiple countries.

After defeating Serbia 83-77 in the final, Germany won its first World Cup with an unbeaten record in eight games, becoming the seventh different team to win the title. Germany guard Dennis Schroder was named the tournament's MVP.

ALSO READ: Germany wins FIBA World Cup for first time

Yousef Sabriabibegloo (left) of Iran competes with Cai Feilong of China's Macao during the men's 75kg final of wushu at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Sept 28, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Vivian Kong Man-wai (left) engages in a fierce bout with South Korea’s Song Sera during the women’s epee team finals at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 27, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Ao Weng-I (left) and Chau Cheng-han of Macao, China compete during the duet technical routine of artistic swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Oct 6, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Asian Games

The 19th Asian Games was held from Sept 23 to Oct 8 in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province.

With breakdancing and esports making their debuts as official medal sports, the Hangzhou Asian Games featured 40 sports, 61 disciplines and 481 events, with participation from over 10,000 athletes from all 45 Olympic Council of Asia members.

ALSO READ: Esports marks milestone at Asian games in Hangzhou

China clinched 201 gold, 111 silver and 71 bronze medals, finishing atop the medal tally and bettering its previous best record of 199 golds at the 2010 edition in Guangzhou.

The 4th Asian Para Games took place in Hangzhou from Oct 22 to 28, with China winning 214 golds and 521 overall to top the medal tally for the fourth consecutive time.

Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum poses next to the clock marking his time after winning the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, in a world record time of two hours and 35 seconds on Oct 8, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum arrives at the finish line line to win the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Chicago, Illinois, in a world record time of two hours and 35 seconds on Oct 8, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Marathon

Both men's and women's marathon world records were shattered in 2023. On Oct 8, Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum became the first man to run a marathon in under 2:01:00, setting a new world record of two hours and 35 seconds to win the Chicago Marathon, while Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia lowered the women's record with her 2:11:53 run to victory in the Berlin Marathon on Sept 24.

In this file photo dated Sept 01, 2020, a mural reveals the new LA28 logo, with the "A" designed by Orlando Pride player Alex Morgan, at the Delano Recreation Center on in Van Nuys, California. (PHOTO / AFP)

Los Angeles Olympics 2028

Cricket and baseball/softball will return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games after the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session approved the proposal on Oct 16. Flag football, lacrosse and squash will also feature at Los Angeles 2028 as additional sports.

In a separate vote, IOC members confirmed that weightlifting and modern pentathlon will retain their Olympic places, after the International Weightlifting Federation took action to solve doping issues, and a makeover for modern pentathlon sees obstacle racing replace equestrian.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic kisses the trophy after winning the singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, on Nov 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Italy's Jannik Sinner during the final match at the ATP Finals tennis tournament in Turin on Nov 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Italy's Jannik Sinner during their singles final tennis match of the ATP World Tour Finals at the Pala Alpitour, in Turin, Italy, on Nov 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Tennis

Serbia's tennis icon Novak Djokovic won the ATP Finals title for the seventh time on Nov 19, breaking the record of six titles he had shared with Roger Federer.

ALSO READ: Djokovic finishes historic season, young stars wait for chances

The 36-year-old won three Grand Slams in 2023, improving his tally of Grand Slam singles titles to 24, and he has surpassed Serena Williams' 23 to take the lead in the Open Era.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix race at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Nov 26, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen performs a burnout after winning the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in the Emirati city on Nov 26, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the second practice ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Nov 24, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Formula One

Red Bull's Max Verstappen rounded off the 2023 Formula One World Championship with a typically dominant victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

This was Verstappen's 19th win of 22 Grand Prix in a record-breaking year, as the Dutchman secured his third consecutive F1 Drivers' Championship in the Qatar Sprint race in October.