An incredible image, capturing a moment of intense focus and a single bead of sweat on the brow of Rafa Nadal, at Wimbledon, has won the second World Sports Photography Awards.
Taken by renowned sports photographer James Gourley, the image is a remarkable example of the power of sports photography to tell stories and provoke emotional response in viewers.
The image is the overall winner from amongst 26 winners in individual sporting categories including Football, Athletics, F1, Golf, Baseball, Cycling, Urban & Extreme. Collectively the 10 winners in each sporting category form a stunning gallery encapsulating the emotion, power, athleticism and drama of sport and the power of photography to tell sports’ stories.
The Overall Top 10 includes images of Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt, Conor McGregor and Simone Biles. The photographs were judged by an international panel which included athletes, agents, rights holders, sports marketers and brands.Because of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic this year’s World Sports Photography awards allowed photographers to enter any images taken during the last 25 years.
As well as shots of global sports stars the winning photographs feature stunning views of stadia, candid behind the scenes glimpses and engaging shots of supporters and fans. Triumph, celebration, pain and despair in equal measure.
All captured and held in the moment amidst the perpetual movement of sport.Speaking about the awards, co-founder Alan Whiter said, “Sport and Photography have a long and powerful relationship. The emotion, athleticism and focus that is at the heart of sport is a uniquelycaptured and communicated through photography. These are an amazing collection of images across sporting disciplines and with all sorts of stories behind them.
See the winning images – www.worldsportsphotographyawards.com/winners
