1986 in sports

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Years in sports:	1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
Centuries:	19th century · 20th century · 21st century
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
Years:	1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

Athletics

For an extensive coverage see 1986 in athletics (track and field)

Auto Racing

Stock car racing:
- February- Geoff Bodine won the Daytona 500
- NASCAR Championship - Dale Earnhardt
CART Racing - Bobby Rahal
- June - Indianapolis 500 - Bobby Rahal Note: this race was run on a Saturday 6 days after the race was rained out.
Formula One Championship - Alain Prost of France
24 hours of Le Mans: the team of Derek Bell / Hans-Joachim Stuck / Al Holbert won, driving a Porsche 962C
Rally racing - Juha Kankkunen in a Peugeot won the World Rally Championship
- the team of Henri Toivonen / Sergio Cresto won the Monte Carlo Rally driving a Lancia Delta S4
Drag racing:
- Don Garlits won the NHRA "Top Fuel" championship
- Darrell Gwynn won Top Fuel at the NHRA Winston Finals

Baseball

All-Star Game: American League Manager Dick Howser is diagnosed with brain cancer after mixing up signals during the game.
Dave Righetti saves 46 games for the New York Yankees, breaking a record shared by Dan Quisenberry and Bruce Sutter.
October 27 - World Series: The New York Mets win 4 games to 3 over the Boston Red Sox. Note: The series is forever remembered in Game 6 when the Red Sox blew a 2-run lead with 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th as the game and eventually the series went through the legs of Bill Buckner.

Basketball

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship:
- Louisville wins 72-69 over Duke
NBA Finals Finals:
- June - Boston Celtics win 4 games to 2 over the Houston Rockets
National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
- Adelaide 36ers defeated the Brisbane Bullets 2-1 in the best-of-three final series.
FIBA World Championship
- USA World Champion

Boxing

March 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada – Marvin Hagler retained the World Middleweight Championship with an 11th round knockout of John Mugabi.

May 8 to 18 – Fourth World Amateur Boxing Championships held in Reno, United States
- Light Flyweight (– 48 kg): Juan Torres Odelin (Cuba)
- Flyweight (– 51 kg): Pedro Orlando Reyes (Cuba)
- Bantamweight (– 54 kg): Moon Sung-Kil (South Korea)
- Featherweight (– 57 kg): Kelcie Banks (United States)
- Lightweight (– 60 kg): Adolfo Horta (Cuba)
- Light Welterweight (– 63,5 kg): Vassili Shyshov (Soviet Union)
- Welterweight (– 67 kg): Kenneth Gould (United States)
- Light Middleweight (– 71 kg): Angel Espinosa (Cuba)
- Middleweight (– 75 kg): Darrin Allen (United States)
- Light Heavyweight (– 81 kg): Pablo Romero (Cuba)
- Heavyweight (– 91 kg): Félix Savón (Cuba)
- Super Heavyweight (> 91 kg): Teófilo Stevenson (Cuba)

November 22 – Mike Tyson knocks-out Trevor Berbick in a round 2 fight, becoming the youngest world heavyweight-boxing champion (He 20 years, 4 months old).

Cycling

Giro d'Italia won by Roberto Visentini of Italy
Tour de France - Greg Lemond is the first winner from the United States
World Cycling Championship: Moreno Argentin of Italy

Dogsled racing

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion:
- Susan Butcher won with lead dogs: Granite & Mattie

Field Hockey

Men's World Cup in London, England
- Gold Medal: Australia
- Silver Medal: England
- Bronze Medal: West Germany
Men's Champions Trophy in Karachi, Pakistan
- Gold Medal: West Germany
- Silver Medal: Australia
- Bronze Medal: Pakistan
Women's World Cup in Amstelveen, The Netherlands
- Gold Medal: The Netherlands
- Silver Medal: West Germany
- Bronze Medal: Canada

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships:
- Men's champion: Brian Boitano, United States
- Ladies' champion: Debi Thomas, United States
- Pair skating champions: Ekaterina Gordeeva / Sergei Grinkov, Soviet Union
- Ice dancing champions: Natalia Bestemianova / Andrei Bukin, Soviet Union

Football (American)

January 26 - Super Bowl XX: Chicago Bears won 46-10 over the New England Patriots

Football (Australian rules football)

Victorian Football League
- Hawthorn wins the 90th VFL Premiership (Hawthorn 16.14 (110) d Carlton 9.14 (68))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Greg Williams (Sydney Swans) and Robert DiPierdomenico (Hawthorn)
- The national draft is held for the first time.

Football (Canadian)

Grey Cup: Hamilton Tiger-Cats won 39-15 over the Edmonton Eskimos
Vanier Cup: UBC Thunderbirds won 25-23 over the Western Ontario Mustangs

Football (Soccer)

For an extensive coverage see 1986 in football (soccer)

1986 World Cup: In the final, played for second time in Mexico City, Azteca Stadium, Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2 and won their second World Cup title.
UEFA Champions League: Steaua Bucureşti 0-0 F.C. Barcelona; Steaua Bucureşti won 2-0 on penalties
UEFA Cup:Two legs; 1st leg Real Madrid C.F. 5-1 1. FC Köln; 2nd leg 1.FC Köln 2-0 Real Madrid CF. Real Madrid CF won 5-3 on aggregate
Cup Winners' Cup: Dinamo Kiev 3-0 Atlético Madrid
Super Cup: Steaua Bucureşti 1-0 Dinamo Kiev
Copa Libertadores de América: Two legs; 1st leg América de Cali 1-2 River Plate; 2nd leg River Plate 1-0 América. River Plate won 3-1 on aggregate
November 6 - Alex Ferguson is appointed manager of Manchester United F.C.
Milk Cup Final held at Wembley Stadium: Oxford United 3-0 QPR

Gaelic Athletic Association

Camogie
- All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Kilkenny
- National Camogie League: Cork
Gaelic football
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Kerry 2-15 d. Tyrone 1-10
- National Football League: Laois 2-6 d. Monaghan 2-5
Ladies' Gaelic football
- All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Kerry
- National Football League: Wexford
Hurling
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: Cork 4-13 d. Galway 2-15
- National Hurling League:

Golf

Men's Golf

Major championship results:
1. April - The Masters - Jack Nicklaus - at age 46, Nicklaus became the oldest Masters winner, and his last major golf championship (excluding the Senior PGA Tour).
2. June - U.S. Open - Ray Floyd
3. July - British Open - Greg Norman
4. August - PGA Championship - Bob Tway
PGA Tour leading money winner for the year: Greg Norman - $653,296
Champions Tour leading money winner: Bruce Crampton - $454,299

Women's Golf

US Women's Open - Jane Geddes
LPGA Championship - Pat Bradley
Pat Bradley: leading money winner on the LPGA tour, earning $492,021

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

Australia - Melbourne Cup - At Talaq
Canada - Queen's Plate - Golden Choice
France - Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - Dancing Brave
Ireland - Irish Derby Stakes - Shahrastani
English Triple Crown Races:
1. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes - Dancing Brave
2. Epsom Derby - Shahrastani
3. St. Leger Stakes - Moon Madness
United States Triple Crown Races:
1. Kentucky Derby - Ferdinand
2. Preakness Stakes - Snow Chief
3. Belmont Stakes - Danzig Connection
Breeders' Cup:
1. Breeders' Cup Classic - Skywalker
2. Breeders' Cup Distaff - Lady's Secret
3. Breeders' Cup Juvenile - Capote
4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Brave Raj
5. Breeders' Cup Mile - Last Tycoon
6. Breeders' Cup Sprint - Smile
7. Breeders' Cup Turf - Manila

Harness Racing

North America Cup - Goalie Jeff
United States Pacing Triple Crown races:
1. Cane Pace - Barberry Spur
2. Little Brown Jug - Barberry Spur
3. Messenger Stakes - Amity Chef
United States Trotting Triple Crown races:
1. Hambletonian - Nuclear Kosmos
2. Yonkers Trot - Gunslinger Spur
3. Kentucky Futurity - Sugarcane Hanover
Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship:
- Pacers: Village Kid

Ice Hockey

Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player: Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens won 4 games to 1 over the Calgary Flames
World Hockey Championship:
- Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Sweden
- Junior Men's champion: Soviet Union defeated Canada

Lacrosse

The 5th World Lacrosse Championship is held in Toronto, Ontario. The United States win, and Canada is the runner-up.
The first Japanese lacrosse team is formed at Keio University.
The Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) is formed as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League.
The New Westminster Salmonbellies win the Mann Cup.
Mississauga wins the Founders Cup.
The Peterborough Maulers win the Minto Cup.

Radiosport

Third Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Skiing

Alpine Skiing
- The men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg
- The women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland

Snooker

World Snooker Championship: Joe Johnson beats Steve Davis 18-12
World rankings: Steve Davis remains world number one for 1986/87

Swimming

Events

The fifth FINA World Championships held in Madrid, Spain

Records

June 26 — Matt Biondi takes the world record from fellow American Tom Jager (22.40) in the 50m freestyle (long course) at a swimming meet in Orlando, Florida, clocking 22.33.

Tennis

Grand Slam in tennis men's results:
1. Australian Open - no tournament held
2. French Open - Ivan Lendl
3. Wimbledon championships - Boris Becker
4. September - US Open - Boris Becker
Grand Slam in tennis women's results:
1. Australian Open - no tournament held
2. French Open - Chris Evert
3. Wimbledon championships - Martina Navratilova
4. September - US Open - Martina Navratilova
Davis Cup: Australia won 3-2 over Sweden in world tennis.

Volleyball

Men's World Championship in Paris, France
- Gold Medal: United States
- Silver Medal: Soviet Union
- Bronze Medal: Bulgaria
Women's World Championship in Prague, Czechoslovakia
- Gold Medal: PR China
- Silver Medal: Cuba
- Bronze Medal: Peru

Water Polo

Men's World Championship in Madrid, Spain
- Gold Medal: Yugoslavia
- Silver Medal: Italy
- Bronze Medal: Soviet Union
Women's World Championship in Madrid, Spain
- Gold Medal: Australia
- Silver Medal: The Netherlands
- Bronze Medal: United States

Multi-sport events

Asian Games held in Seoul, South Korea
Winter Asian Games held in Sapporo, Japan
British Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh, Scotland
Summer Goodwill Games held in Moscow, Soviet Union
Second Gay Games held in San Francisco, California
First Los Angeles Marathon held in Los Angeles, California

Awards

Births

January-April

January 8 — Shuai Peng, Chinese tennis player
January 9 — Saša Imprić, Croatian medley swimmer
January 16 — Marta Domachowska, Polish professional tennis player
January 26 — Thiago Pereira, Brazilian medley swimmer
February 6 — Mathew Tait, English rugby union player
February 11 — Bob Altena, Dutch decathlete
February 14 — Aschwin Wildeboer, Dutch-Spanish backstroke swimmer
February 19 — Marta, Brazilian footballer
February 26 — Katia Pisetsky, Ukraine-born gymnast from Israel
March 11 — Amanda Weir, American swimmer
March 17 — Corney Swanepoel, South African-born butterfly swimmer from New Zealand
March 26 — Ellen Hoog, Dutch field hockey player
March 26 — Emma Laine, Finnish tennis player
March 28 — Barbora Strýcová, Czech tennis player
April 1 — Ireen Wüst, Dutch long track speed skater
April 2 — Ibrahim Afellay, Moroccan-born football player from Holland
April 4 — Richard Petherick, New Zealand field hockey player
April 9 — Mirna Jukić, Croatia-born swimmer from Austra
April 15 — Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Dutch football player
April 19 — Candace Parker, American basketball player
April 23 — Sven Kramer, Dutch speed skater
April 27 — Dinara Safina, Russian tennis player