BEIJING, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Here is Xinhua News Agency's selection of the 10 most significant pieces of international sports news in 2024, in chronological order:

- LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 regular-season points after the 39-year-old scored 26 points in a game against the Denver Nuggets on March 2 to reach 40,017 points.

- The inaugural Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) took place in Shanghai and Budapest, respectively, from May 16 to 19 and June 20 to 23. The OQS, introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), offered a new immersive experience where sport is blended with music, art, and culture in the city.

A total of 464 athletes from over 120 countries and regions competed in BMX freestyle cycling, breaking, skateboarding, and sport climbing at the OQS, through which 158 athletes secured their berths at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and 23 of them won Olympic medals, eight in gold.

- Multiple athletics world records were shattered in 2024. At the Diamond League meeting in Paris on July 7, Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine secured the women's high jump victory with 2.10 meters - one centimeter higher than the long-standing world record set by Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria at the 1987 World Championships. Kenyan middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon refreshed her own 1,500m world record to 3:49.04.

At the Silesia Diamond League Kamila Skolimowska Memorial on August 25, Armand Duplantis cleared 6.26 meters in the men's pole vault, which marked the 10th time the Swede has shattered the world record. Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men's 3,000m race with a time of 7:17.55, breaking the previous world mark of 7:20.67 set by Kenya's Daniel Komen in 1996.

At the Chicago Marathon on October 13, Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich chopped nearly two minutes off the world record to win the women's title in 2:09:56.

- Substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored an 86th-minute winner to help Spain beat England 2-1 in the UEFA Euro 2024 final on July 14. Spain took seven wins in a row to claim its fourth title, the most in the tournament's history.

On the same day, Lautaro Martinez scored in the second half of extra time as Argentina secured its second consecutive Copa America title with a 1-0 victory over Colombia in the final. It was Argentina's 16th title in the tournament, breaking a tie with Uruguay.

- The French Alps was awarded as the host of the 2030 Winter Olympic Games, Salt Lake City of the United States will stage the 2034 edition, and Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2025, as decided during the 142nd IOC Session starting on July 22. The IOC Executive Board confirmed on December 3 that the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will feature 151 events - down from 241 for the previous edition, with Wushu first included in its competition program.

- Under the slogan "Games Wide Open", Paris hosted the 33rd Summer Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, with 91 delegations winning medals. The Chinese delegation registered its best performance at an overseas Olympics with 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze medals.

At the Paris Paralympics from August 28 to September 8, China won a total of 220 medals - 94 golds, 76 silvers and 50 bronzes, topping both the gold and overall medal tables for the sixth consecutive Summer Paralympics.

- Zheng Qinwen defeated Donna Vekic of Croatia in straight sets in the tennis women's singles final at Paris 2024 on August 3, becoming the first Asian player ever to win an Olympic tennis singles title.

- Xinhua Institute, a high-end think tank of Xinhua News Agency, released a report titled "The Road to Becoming a Sports Powerhouse - The Value and Inspiration of Xi Jinping's Important Discourses on Sports" in Beijing on August 27.

This report comprehensively explains the core concepts of Xi's important discourses on sports, reviews the achievements of Chinese sports under this guidance, and clarifies its contemporary significance and global influence.

- 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal retired from professional tennis after Spain bowed out of the Davis Cup quarterfinals on November 19. The 38-year-old veteran won the French Open for a record 14 times.

Three-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, Spanish football legend Andres Iniesta and Australian swimming great Emma McKeon also announced retirement in 2024.

- Red Bull's Max Verstappen secured the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship for the fourth consecutive year with his fifth-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 24. Enditem

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