Bristol in 2020: Sport

In January, Bristol Flyers fell to a narrow defeat against Worcester Wolves in the final of the BBL Cup. The match was played in front of a packed crowd at the NEC Arena in Birmingham. Remember those days?

When Bristol Bears made it to the European Challenge Cup final in October, no Bears fans could travel to Aix-en-Provence in southern France to watch that famous victory against Toulon, which burst into life after only 15.64 seconds when Harry Randall scored Bristol’s first try.

On the international rugby stage, Knowle Wester Ellis Genge continued to impress for England this year, while Bears players Callum Sheedy and Ioan Lloyd both received their first Wales caps.

Bristol Bears’ Amber Reed returned to the England fold against the Barbarians in June and won her 50th cap against the USA in this summer’s Super Series. She returned for the 2020 Six Nations and made an instant impact, a deft offload put Emily Scarratt in to clinch the decisive try in France.

Back in Bristol, when no fans could be welcomed to Ashton Gate – the home of Bristol City, Bristol Bears and the future home of the Flyers – the stadium became the heart of a major food distribution effort to support those most in need, which by September had delivered more than 50,000 meals directly to families.

Across the other side of the city, Bristol Rovers Community Trust also sprung into action, providing the club’s most vulnerable fans with emergency packs of essential food and provisions during the pandemic.

One story shared by both of Bristol’s professional men’s football teams is that they are finishing 2020 with different managers to the start of the year. Lee Johnson was sacked by City in July and replaced by Dean Holden. At the time of writing, the Robins sit ninth in the Championship.

At the Memorial Stadium, Ben Garner – appointed manager in December 2019 – was sacked in November, with Paul Tisdale the current gaffer overseeing a team currently 20th in League One, just one position above the relegation zone.

Silverware was tantalisingly close for Bristol Rovers Women’s this year, with both their first team and development team’s leagues declared null and void due to Covid-19 while they were both in the top spot. So it’s the unusual scenario of a second inaugural season for the Gas Girls.

Co-founder Matt Davies said that he and the Gas Girls staff “simply can’t fault the girls for their efforts”. He said: “It’s certainly been a tricky year for everyone but Bristol Rovers Women’s will be targeting a league and cup double in 2021 and finally complete that very first promotion. Better late than never!”

For Bristol City, 2020 peaked on January 5 with a 1-0 win away at Manchester United. Since then, their league form has been woeful and after narrowly avoiding relegation last season look almost certain to be relegated from the Women’s Super League this season (their first at new home Twerton Park) having only picked up two points and conceded 45 goals so far in ten games.

Celebrations this year to mark the 150th anniversary of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club were somewhat curtailed, with it even looking doubtful at one stage that a ball would even be bowled at the County Ground.

A one-day international between England and Australia due to take place in Bristol in July was cancelled, but cricket eventually did resume in August with the Bob Willis Trophy. It was in the T20 format that Glos excelled this season, however, making it to the finals day of the Vitality Blast in October.

2020 was a memorable year for Bristol-born James Bracey, with the Glos wicketkeeper being called into the England squad and scoring a confident 85 during the intra-squad warm-up game at the Ageas Bowl in July. He has still yet to win his first England cap but this year has done his chances of achieving that no harm.

Bristol-born Lando Norris achieved his first podium finish in Formula One at the Austrian Grand Prix in July. He finished the 2020 championships in ninth place.

Southmead’s mixed martial arts fighter Nad Narimani lost his one fight this year, against Grant Dawson in July, via a unanimous decision, in what could have been his final time competing in the UFC.

In December, Bristol snooker star Judd Trump won his 20th career ranking title and his sixth of the year with victory in the World Grand Prix. Trump remains world number one, with another accolade in 2020 being achieving 750 career centuries.

Main photo: Bristol Rovers Women

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