Alpine Skiing World Cup
Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France
Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden
January 2 - Sugar Bowl (1996 season)
The Florida Gators won 52–20 over the Florida State Seminoles to win the national championship
January 26 – in Super Bowl XXXI, the Green Bay Packers won 35–21 over the New England Patriots
October 18 – Liz Heaston becomes the first woman to both play and score in a college football game
World Artistic Gymnastics Championships –
Women's all–around champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russian Federation
Women's team competition champion: Romania
Women's vault champion: Simona Amânar, Romania
Women's uneven bars champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russian Federation
Women's balance beam champion: Gina Gogean, Romania
Women's floor exercise champion: Gina Gogean, Romania
Men's all-around champion: Ivan Ivankov, Belarus
Men's team competition champion: China
Men's vault champion: Sergei Fedorchenko, Kazakhstan
Men's still rings champion: Yuri Chechi, Italy
Men's floor exercise champion: Alexei Nemov, Russian Federation
Men's parallel bars champion: Zhang Jinjing, China
Men's pommel horse champion: Valery Belenky, Germany
Men's horizontal bar champion: Jani Tanskanen, Finland
For an extensive coverage see 1997 in Association football
Champions League – Borussia Dortmund beat Juventus F.C. 3–1
UEFA Cup – FC Schalke 04 beat F.C. Internazionale Milano
Copa Libertadores – Cruzeiro Esporte Clube beat Sporting Cristal
August – 1997 World Championships in Athletics held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece.
Australian Football League
Port Adelaide join the league
Adelaide Crows win Grand Final for the first time – downing St. Kilda on the last day in September
June 12 – Interleague play begins in baseball, ending a 126-year tradition of separating the major leagues until the World Series.
World Series – Florida Marlins won 4 games to 3 over the Cleveland Indians. The Series MVP was Liván Hernández, Florida
NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
Arizona Wildcats win 84–79 in overtime over the Kentucky Wildcats. This is Arizona's first NCAA title in men's basketball.
NBA Finals –
Chicago Bulls earn their second repeat of the decade as they beat the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 (see Steve Kerr).
WNBA Finals (inaugural WNBA season):
Houston Comets defeat the New York Liberty in one game playoff series.
National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
Melbourne Tigers defeated the South East Melbourne Magic 2–1 in the best–of–three final series.
January 18 – Oscar De La Hoya maintained his World Boxing Council super lightweight title in with a 12–round unanimous decision over Miguel Ángel González in Las Vegas, Nevada.
May 13 – death of Eduard Zakharov (22), Russian boxer
June 28 – Mike Tyson bites off a piece of the ear of Evander Holyfield in the third round of their WBA Heavyweight title fight, getting disqualified by referee Mills Lane.
July 9 – Mike Tyson's boxing license is suspended for at least a year and he is fined $3 million for biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a televised match.
October 18 to October 26 – World Amateur Boxing Championships held in Budapest, Hungary
Grey Cup – Toronto Argonauts won 47–23 over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Vanier Cup – UBC Thunderbirds win 39–23 over the Ottawa Gee-Gees
The Ashes – Australia win the six test series 3–2
ICC Trophy – Bangladesh
Women's Cricket World Cup – Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets
County Championship (England and Wales) won by Glamorgan
Giro d'Italia won by Ivan Gotti of Italy
Tour de France – Jan Ullrich of Germany
UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Laurent Brochard of France
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion
Martin Buser won with lead dogs: Blondie & Fearless
Men's Champions Trophy: Germany
Women's Champions Trophy: Australia
World Figure Skating Championships –
Men's champion: Elvis Stojko, Canada
Ladies' champion: Tara Lipinski, United States
Pairs' champions: Mandy Wötzel & Ingo Steuer, Germany
Ice dancing champions: Oksana Grishuk / Evgeny Platov, Russia
Camogie
All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Cork
National Camogie League: Cork
Gaelic football
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Kerry 0–13 died Mayo 1–7
National Football League – Kerry 3–7 died Cork 1–8
Ladies' Gaelic football
All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Monaghan
National Football League: Waterford
Hurling
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Clare 0–20 died Tipperary 2–13
National Hurling League –
Men's professional
Masters Tournament – Tiger Woods
U.S. Open – Ernie Els
British Open – Justin Leonard
PGA Championship – Davis Love III
PGA Tour money leader – Tiger Woods – $2,066,833
PGA Tour Player of the Year – Tiger Woods
PGA Tour Rookie of the Year – Stewart Cink
Senior PGA Tour money leader – Hale Irwin – $2,343,364
Ryder Cup – Europe won 14½–13½ over the United States in team golf.
Tiger Woods creates an uproar with his record 12-shot victory at the Masters, and becomes the first Masters winner of African-American descent. He set the record for the lowest to-par score of −18, and the lowest 72-hole score of 272. He also rises to the No. 1 ranking on June 15, in only his 42nd week as a professional – the fastest ascent to the No. 1 ranking.
Men's amateur
British Amateur – Craig Watson
U.S. Amateur – Matt Kuchar
European Amateur – Didier de Voogt
Women's professional
Nabisco Dinah Shore – Betsy King
LPGA Championship – Christa Johnson
U.S. Women's Open – Alison Nicholas
Classique du Maurier – Colleen Walker
LPGA Tour money leader – Annika Sörenstam – $1,236,789
Handball
World Men's Handball Championship – won by Russia
World Women's Handball Championship – won by Denmark
North America Cup – Gothic Dream
Western Dreamer won the United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
- Cane Pace – Western Dreamer
- Little Brown Jug – Western Dreamer
- Messenger Stakes – Western Dreamer
United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
- Hambletonian – Malabar Man
- Yonkers Trot – Lord Stormont
- Kentucky Futurity – Take Chances
Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship –
Pacers: Our Sir Vancelot
Trotters: Pride Of Petite
The Grand National Saturday meeting was abandoned after two coded bomb threats were received, causing evacuation of the course. The race was eventually run on the following Monday.
Steeplechases
Cheltenham Gold Cup – Mr Mulligan
Grand National – Lord Gyllene
Flat races
Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Might And Power
Canada – Queen's Plate won by Awesome Again
Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Singspiel
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Peintre Célèbre
Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Desert King
Japan – Japan Cup won by Pilsudski
English Triple Crown races:
- 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Entrepreneur
- Epsom Derby – Benny the Dip
- St. Leger Stakes – Silver Patriarch
United States Triple Crown races:
- Kentucky Derby – Silver Charm
- Preakness Stakes – Silver Charm
- Belmont Stakes – Touch Gold
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
- Breeders' Cup Classic – Skip Away
- Breeders' Cup Distaff – Ajina
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Favorite Trick
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Countess Diana
- Breeders' Cup Mile – Spinning World
- Breeders' Cup Sprint – Elmhurst
- Breeders' Cup Turf – Chief Bearhart
Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres
Stanley Cup – Detroit Red Wings win 4 games to 0 over the Philadelphia Flyers
World Hockey Championship
Men's champion: Canada defeated Sweden
Junior Men's champion: Finland defeated Russia
Women's champion: Canada defeated the United States
The Rochester Knighthawks defeat the Buffalo Bandits 15–12 to win the Major Indoor Lacrosse League championship
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is formed from the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL), with the decision to move from league ownership of all teams to individual team ownership.
Mann Cup for the Canadian box lacrosse championship: Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association
European Lacrosse Championships –
Men's champion: England defeats the Czech Republic
Women's champion: England defeats Wales
The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 1997 in chronological order.
March 21 – death of John Nemechek (27), NASCAR race driver
Stock car racing –
Jeff Gordon is the youngest driver ever to win the Daytona 500 on February 16
NASCAR Championship – Jeff Gordon
Indy Racing League –
Indianapolis 500 – Arie Luyendyk of the Netherlands
Champ CarCART Racing – Alex Zanardi won the season championship
Formula One Championship – Jacques Villeneuve of Canada
V8 Supercars
Australian Touring Car Championship won by Glenn Seton in a Ford EL Falcon.
Bathurst 1000 for V8 Supercars won by Russell Ingall and Larry Perkins in a Holden VS Commodore.
Bathurst 1000 for Super Touring won by Jim Richards and Rickard Rydell.
24 hours of Le Mans – the team of Michele Alboreto / Stefan Johansson / Tom Kristensen won, driving a TWR–Porsche
Rallying – Tommi Mäkinen won the World Rally Championship
the team of Piero Liatti / Fabrizia Pons won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Subaru Impreza WRC97
Drag racing – Gary Scelzi won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship.
Eighth Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Sankt Englmar, Germany.
Second High Speed Telegraphy World Championship held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
McGill University Rowing Club wins the inaugural McGill-Queen's Challenge Boat Race.
1 March – Townsville, Australia: The Adelaide Rams play their inaugural game, a loss to the North Queensland Cowboys 24–16 at Dairy Farmers Stadium before a crowd of 17,738.
2 March – Newcastle, Australia: The Hunter Mariners club plays its inaugural game, a 20–16 loss to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Topper Stadium before a crowd of 6,579.
18 May – Auckland, New Zealand: In the 1997 Oceania Cup's final New Zealand XIII defeat New Zealand Māori 20 – 15 at Carlaw Park.
19 May – Brisbane, Australia: In the final of the only Super League Tri-series to be played, New South Wales defeat Queensland 23–22 at ANZ Stadium before a crowd of 35,570. It sets a new record as the longest game of rugby league ever played before being decided by a field goal during extra time.
11 June – Melbourne, Australia: The 1997 State of Origin series is wrapped up in Game II by New South Wales who defeat Queensland 15–14 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before a crowd of 25,105.
The 1997–98 French Championship season finishes with the Villeneuve Leopards on top of the league table.
20 September – Brisbane, Australia: The 1997 Super League (Australia) season's Grand Final is won by the Brisbane Broncos who defeated the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8 at ANZ Stadium before a crowd of 58,912.
28 September – Sydney, Australia: The 1997 ARL season's grand final is won by the Newcastle Knights who defeated the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 22–16 at the Sydney Football Stadium before a crowd of 42,482.
12 October – Christchurch, New Zealand: The 1997 New Zealand season culminates in the Waikato Cougars 34–18 victory over the Canterbury Reds at Rugby League Park, Waikato defeated Canterbury 34–18 to win both the Challenge Cup and the Rugby League Cup.
18 October – Auckland, New Zealand: In the 1997 World Club Championship's final, the Brisbane Broncos defeat the Hunter Mariners 36–12 at Ericsson Stadium before a crowd of 12,000.
In Europe's Super League II, on Sunday 28 September, with the final of the Premiership was won by Wigan Warriors who defeated St. Helens 33–20. At the end of the season Bradford Bulls were crowned League champions by virtue of finishing the season at the top of the table.
16 November – Leeds, England: In the third and deciding test match of the Super League Test series, Australia defeat Great Britain 37–20 at Elland Road before a crowd of 39,337.
103rd Five Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam
World Snooker Championship – Ken Doherty beats Stephen Hendry 18–12
World rankings – Stephen Hendry remains world number one for 1997/98
March 28 – Japan's Ayari Aoyama breaks Misty Hyman's world record in the Women's 100m Butterfly (short course): 58:24
Third World Short Course Championships, held in Gothenburg, Sweden (April 17 – 20)
April 19 – U.S.–swimmer Jenny Thompson breaks Ayari Aoyama's world record in the Women's 100m Butterfly (short course): 57:79
April 20 – Australia wins the most medals (17), and the most gold medals (9)
23rd European LC Championships, held in Seville, Spain (August 19 – 24)
Germany wins the most medals (19), and the most gold medals (8)
XIX Summer Universiade, held on Sicily, Italy (August 24 – 30)
World Championships held in Hong Kong
Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
- Australian Open – Pete Sampras
- French Open – Gustavo Kuerten
- Wimbledon championships – Pete Sampras
- US Open – Patrick Rafter
Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
- Australian Open – Martina Hingis
- French Open – Iva Majoli
- Wimbledon championships – Martina Hingis
- US Open – Martina Hingis
Davis Cup – Sweden won 5–0 over the United States in world tennis.
Men's World League: Italy
Women's World Grand Prix: Russia
Men's European Championship: Netherlands
Women's European Championship: Russia
Men's World Cup: USA
Men's European Championship: Hungary
Women's European Championship: Italy
Second East Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea
8th Pan Arab Games held in Beirut, Lebanon
Fifth World Games held in Lahti, Finland
13th Mediterranean Games held in Bari, Italy
19th Summer Universiade held on Sicily, Italy
19th SEA Games held on Jakarta, Indonesia
18th Winter Universiade held in Muju County, South Korea
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year – Tiger Woods, PGA golf
Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year – Martina Hingis, Tennis
