2016: An unforgettable year for sport - in pictures

RIO, AUGUST: Usain Bolt appears to smile for the camera as he storms to victory in the semi-finals of the men's 100m at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Jamaican went on to win the final and then added two more golds to take his total Olympic tally to nine after making a clean sweep in the 200m and 4x100m relay.

PARIS, MARCH: The England rugby team celebrate winning the Six Nations Grand Slam after victory over France under new coach Eddie Jones. The team went unbeaten throughout 2016, winning all 13 games they played.

KOLKATA, APRIL: Marlon Samuels of the West Indies and Ben Stokes of England exchange words during the final over of the World Twenty20 final. The West Indies won in spectacular fashion after Carlos Brathwaite hit four successive sixes

LEICESTER, MAY: Claudio Ranieri and his Leicester City players celebrate their incredible Premier League triumph. The team were 5,000-1 outsiders to win the title at the start of the season but stunned the football world as they romped to victory.

NICE, JUNE: England's footballers slump to the turf after being knocked out of Euro 2016 by Iceland. The 2-1 defeat was seen as the most humiliating in English history. Wales made it as far as the semi-finals while Portugal won the title.

LONDON, JULY: Andy Murray in action against Milos Raonic in the men's singles final at Wimbledon. The Scot claimed his second title at SW19, won Olympic gold and ended the year as world number one, as well as being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the third time.

PROVENCE, JULY:

RIO, AUGUST: Fireworks explode above the Maracana Stadium at the opening of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

RIO, AUGUST: Chad le Clos of South Africa (right) glances at Michael Phelps in the final of the 200m Olympic butterfly final. Phelps won the race as he claimed five gold medals and a silver in Rio to become the most decorated Olympian ever with a total of 28 medals, 23 of them gold. 

RIO, AUGUST: A composite image of US gymnast Simone Biles on the balance beam at the Rio Olympics. The 19-year-old won four golds and one bronze medal at the Games, and was voted BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

RIO, AUGUST: British track cyclists Laura Trott and Jason Kenny. Trott won two golds at the Rio Olympics to become the most successful female British Olympian with a total of four golds. Kenny won three more golds to take his overall tally to six. The couple were married after the Games.

RIO, AUGUST: The GB women's hockey team are euphoric after winning Olympic gold at Rio. Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch was the hero as Team GB beat the Netherlands in a penalty shoot-out.

NOTTINGHAM, AUGUST: Alex Hales on his way to a score of 171 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge. It was the highest score ever by an English batsman in a one-day international, and England also set the highest-ever team score in a one-day international as they hit 444 in their 50 overs.

RIO, SEPTEMBER: Kadeena Cox wins Paralympic gold in the women's C4-5 500m time trial track cycling. She also won a gold medal in athletics, in the T38 400m, and a bronze in the T38 100m sprint.

RIO, SEPTEMBER: Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft celebrates victory in the Women's T34 800m at the Rio Paralympic Games. She won three golds in Rio,  taking her overall tally to five.

MEXICO, SEPTEMBER: Triathlete Alistair Brownlee hauls his brother Jonny over the line at the ITU World Triathlon Series. Jonny (right) was suffering from heat exhaustion when he was caught by Alistair, who dragged him 200m before pushing him across the line to finish second.

MINNESOTA, OCTOBER: US golfer Rickie Fowler celebrates with his team-mates and their partners after winning the Ryder Cup. The US team reclaimed the prize for only the second time this century with a convincing 17-11 win at the Hazeltine National golf course.

HAWAII, OCTOBER: A turtle swims below competitors at the start of the 2016 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. German Jan Frodeno won the title for the second year running, completing the course – a 2.4-mile swim, 115-mile bike ride and a marathon – in eight hours, six minutes and 30 seconds.

CLEVELAND, NOVEMBER: The Chicago Cubs win the baseball World Series for the first time in 108 years, breaking a long-standing curse said to have been placed on the team 71 years ago. They beat the Cleveland Indians 4-3 in the seven-game final.

ABU DHABI, NOVEMBER: F1 driver Nico Rosberg celebrates winning the world title at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Five days after being confirmed as champion the 31-year-old stunned the motor-racing world by announcing his retirement.