Yahoo Sports The 10 best CBC Sports long reads of 2023
At its core, storytelling is an art form.
In sports reporting, a breaking news story or even a game recap answers the basic questions: who did what and where they did it. The artist uses just the primary colours to paint these quick — but still important — pieces. Sometimes they have a bit of a paint-by-number feel, but they use only the necessary daubs of detail to get the information across to the audience.
A long read is a different composition. Thousands of tiny brush strokes — using every colour of the rainbow — go into capturing a more fulsome and well-rounded portrait of a writer's subject.
From the 16-year-old Canadian swimmer juggling Olympic-champion calibre potential, to the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, to the behind-the-scenes stories of Canada's only win at The Masters, our writers created likenesses of these captivating athletes with their words.
In no particular order, here are 10 of the best long reads from CBC Sports in 2023:
(Getty Images/ CBC)
The McIntosh sisters lean on family to reach their Olympic-sized potential
It's very, very rare to have a world-class athlete in the family. Yet, somehow, the McIntosh family have two: Brooke, 18, is an accomplished figure skater, and Summer is a 16-year-old swimming phenom. Go behind the scenes to see why a lot of the McIntosh sisters' success can be traced back to their family.
Canada's Mike Weir, left, is presented with the green jacket by Tiger Woods after winning the playoff after the final round of the 2003 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia on April 13, 2003. (Harry How/Getty Images)
ORAL HISTORY | How Mike Weir made Canadian golf history at The Masters
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a major moment in Canadian golf history: Mike Weir became the first men's golfer from this country to win a major, and he did it on the biggest stage of the sport. This is the behind-the-scenes story of how the Brights Grove, Ont., native won the Masters tournament at Augusta National.
Dwayne De Rosario starred for Toronto FC of the MLS and his goal celebration - the Shake ‘n’ Bake, was derived from breaking culture. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)
A Canadian soccer star and his underground origins as a b-boy named Timex in the Toronto subway
Dwayne De Rosario knows the Olympics' newest sport well. Though he is renowned for his soccer talents, his origin story includes the persona of Timex, a b-boy training to enter the cypher.
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 2: Forward Christine Sinclair #12 of Canada celebrates after defeating China in the quarterfinals of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup match at PGE Park on October 2, 2003 in Portland, Oregon. Canada defeated China 1-0. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
'Christine Sinclair is Canadian soccer': Former teammates reflect on historic career
Is it possible to sum up more than two decades of blood, sweat, tears and triumph Canadian soccer great Christine Sinclair has shown on pitches around the world?
Canadian hockey player Liz Knox speaks as she provides commentary for a game at the Unifor Women's Hockey Showcase in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston (File/The Canadian Press)
How we built the PWHL: Stories from the 10 years it took to get to puck drop
Goalie, coach, commentator, and executive of the Professional Women's Hockey League Players Association, Liz Knox has been involved at every step in the long development of the PWHL. She tells us about each step they took on the long road to puck drop on Jan. 1, 2024.
Marco Arop runs near Starkville, Mississippi. (Steve Tzemis/CBC Sports)
Marco Arop's Olympic dream takes shape in the heart of Dixie
Mississippi is home to the Canadian runner who wants to be the fastest 800-metre runner in history.
Lynette Woodard has spent her life as a basketball trailblazer, from becoming the NCAA's all-time leading scorer to suiting up as the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. (Sarah Jenkins/CBC Sports)
How a Kansas woman travelled the yellow brick road to Harlem Globetrotters history
Lynette Woodard had a childhood dream to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, even when it was fully made up of men. It became reality in 1985, when she became the first woman to don the famed jersey.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, shown in this 2019 file photo, was pulled over by police in 2014 for erratic driving, failed a field sobriety test, then found to have several strong prescription drugs in his system. In a recent interview with HBO, he said 'I'm prejudiced against because I'm a rich, white billionaire.' (File/Getty Images)
When Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay used an interview to accuse police of profiling him over his race (white) and wealth (immense) during a 2014 impaired driving arrest, the online backlash came fast, with a long list of commentators highlighting Irsay's stunning lack of self-awareness.
EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 23: Damian Warner of Team Canada looks on after competing in the Men's Decathlon High Jump on day nine of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 23, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Damian Warner is still searching for perfection in the 'nightmare' of decathlon
A question that has been ruminating in Damian's Warner mind for more than a decade is if one day the reigning Olympic champion might just find magic, when everything aligns and he pulls off the perfect decathlon.
Christine Sinclair's farewell, Summer McIntosh's world records and the Canadian men's basketball team's World Cup bronze were just some of the highlights of the year in sports. (CBC Sports)
Broken droughts, smashed barriers and shattered records: A look back at the year in sports
A 72-foot putt for eagle. A new home for women's hockey. A rousing farewell to a legend. Those are just some of the moments that defined sports in 2023. Here's a look back at the year that was.
