10 Greatest sporting chokes of all time (Part- 2)

In Part-1, we looked at the entries from No. 10 to No.6. Now, here’s our top five sporting chokes of all time.

5. Jimmy White, World Snooker Championship 1994- 6 finals, 6 chances, but White never made it through!

Six finals, five of them on consecutive occasions from 1990-94, White was in devastating form. Fondly known as a ‘Whirlwind’, White made the game look effortless, until the moment arrived where he always failed to win the coveted World crown.

In 1994, he was as close as he can get to a World Championship title as he went into play the final frame with a lead of 37 points to his opponent Stephen Hendry’s 24, when White missed a straightforward black off the spot. That was the last time when he reached that close to tasting that elusive victory, as White even nowstruggles to qualify for the event. Some meltdowns can just doom your career graph- this was just one of those moments for White.

4. Jean van der Velde, 1999 British Open Championship- When a nobody was on the cusp of glory

Van der Velde was never Major winning material. A journeyman on the golfing circuit, van der Velde, out of nowhere was having one of the best golfing weekends of his lifetime. At the top of the leaderboard, as he strolled to the final hole, all he required was a double-bogey or better to hold the claret jug and to become the focal point of all the sporting headlines.

Then Van de Velde compounded bad shots with bad decisions and the rest, as they say, is history. Along the way to a triple-bogey, Van de Velde found the rough, the sand, the water and even the grandstands. Following a mediocre drive that rolled into the rough, the smart decision would have been to lay up in front of Barry Burn, which crossed in front of the green.

Instead, Van de Velde went for the green and found the groundstands. The ball caromed off the grandstands, bounded onto rocks along the edge of Barry Burn, and bounced into thick rough short of the water hazard. Van de Velde tried to hack the ball out of the rough and over the burn to the green, but the ball plopped down into the burn. Then came the enduring image of this meltdown: Van de Velde, shoes off, climbing down into the flowing water of the burn, considering trying to hit the ball out.

He ultimately lost the duel to Paul Lawrie in playoffs to completely one of the famous meltdown in sports. van der Velde did made the headlines, but sadly for all the wrong reasons.

3. Jana Novotna, Wimbledon 1993- The magnitude of the moment gets the better of Jana

Novotna vs Graf, Wimbledon final- Fast forward to the third set, where Novotna looked invincible. With a lead of 4 games to 1 and with 40-30 ahead was just 5 points away from her first Grand Slam singles title. With all the eyes glued on the action at the centre-court and the Duke and Duchess of Kent were in their customary place in the royal box, the moment was a bit too much to take in for Novotna.

Novotna lined up the next serve which landed straight into the net- a fault. It looked like a minor lapse in concentration, but who knew that the match would end in the most bizarre fashion! Novotna hit a double fault on her way to lose that service game. Her swing seemed halfhearted, all arm and no legs and torso. Within in no time, instead of being a comfortable win for Novotna it was Graf who clinched the decisive set 6-4. Novotna, eventually lost her self-belief and conceded the title to Graf.

During the presentation ceremony, when the Duchess reached Novotna to console her, Novotna who was heartbroken, exhausted and at a loss for words, merely cried on the Duchess’ shoulder.

However, Novotna did comeback strongly from that shocker, as she went on to win her first Wimbledon title in 1998.

2. South African cricket team, ICC Cricket World Cup 1999- Donald ‘ducked out’!

A team known for being massive underachievers on the biggest competitive stages in cricket, South Africa can boast their own countdown of choking moments in their cricketing history.

Their most tragic story goes back to the 1999 World Cup semi-final against Australia – a contest where the Proteas lost well before the result was declared. First, the it was Australian side that went on to score a respectable 213 on a difficult batting wicket.

If that wasn’t enough, fast bowler Allan Donald had other ideas to twist the match even more. South Africa was on course to a win with a run to score in 3 balls, a wicket in hand and Lance Klusener on strike. Klusener pushes the ball to mid-off and runs for a single, when Donald on the non-striker’s end, with his bat dropped on the ground, froze at the crease. He did run in the end, but it was all too late as he ran himself out. Game Over! They bottled it!

The match ended as a tie but Australia qualified to the finals on terms of superior run-rate.

This horror show was summed up really well by Bill Lawrie, who was commentating on that final ball.

“There it is, this will be out surely – oh it’s out, it’s gonna be run out…oh, that is South Africa out- Donald did not run, I cannot believe it. Australia go into the World Cup Final – ridiculous running with two balls to go. Donald did not go, Klusener came – what a disappointing end for South Africa,” said a shocked Lawrie, as the dramatic climax of the game unfolded right in front of him.

Even after fielding several quality squads over the years, South Africa still havel not won a Cricket World Cup. They could have had one in their cabinet, if not for Donald’s frailties.

1. England national football team, World Cup (1990, 2006) and EURO (1996, 2004, 2012)- An occasional casualty

Well, it’s difficult to decide on one choking moment when it comes to the Three Lions. The English football side has a history of succumbing to pressure in the biggest tournaments, no doubt they haven’t won a single trophy since their only World Cup win at home in 1966.

The English side has always come up with great footballing talents and several reputed managers over the years, but none of them could improve their shambolic record in the penalty shootouts.

England has one of the most poor conversion ratios in penalty shootouts of major competition which has led them to the exit doors of as many as five major competitions- World Cup (1990 & 2006) and EURO (1996, 2004, 2012)

Their only penalty shootout win was against Spain in the quarter finals of EURO ’96, only to lose 6-5 themselves to Germany in the semi-finals- Of course, by penalties!

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