8. Nicola Adams
"I am so happy and overwhelmed with joy right now. I have wanted this all my life and I have done it. To be taking the gold medal back to Leeds will be special." Nicola Adams had a great year personally, but the major reason for her placement on this list is what her victory meant to world sport. Women's boxing is a sport on the rise, the women are just as aggressive and competitive as the men, and it rightfully became engulfed into the Olympic system this year. Adams was the first ever female boxing gold medalist, a title that will never ever be taken away from her. Her rise to World No.2 in the Flyweight divison, behind current world champion Ren Cancan, has made her a favourite for the amateur title in 2014, after her comprehensive defeat of the World No.1 in the Olympic Final. The fact that she will forever be associated with the emergence of female boxing to a global audience will be with her forever, and hopefully the sport will continue to grow and produce more "Nicola Adams" in the future.
Standout Moment of 2012: Becoming the first woman to ever win a boxing gold medal at the Olympics, defeating World No.1 Ren Cancan 16-7 in the final.