Australian photographer takes out World Sports Photography Awards

8 August 2022

An image of tennis great Naomi Osaka moving a butterfly out of harm’s way during the Australian Open has won the third edition of World Sports Photography Awards. The image was captured by Australian sports photographer David Gray during the 2021 event. Gray has been a photographer with Reuters since 1995, and in 2013 became Chief Photographer for Australia/New Zealand and the Pacific for the agency.

© David Gray. Overall winner and Tennis winner. Naomi Osaka at the 2021 Australian Open.
© David Gray. Overall winner and Tennis winner. Naomi Osaka at the 2021 Australian Open.

His image is one of 24 winning images across sports categories including American Football, Basketball, Cycling, Gymnastics, and Football. The only global awards for sport photography, the World Sports Photography Awards received more than 7,000 images from professional sports photographers around the world.

Of the winning image, Co-Founder of the awards Simon Burton said: “This is a breath-taking image. Sports Photography captures special moments and tells unique stories, but most of all it draws you in and reveals the unexpected. It forces you to look again and reconsider.”

Category winners

A selection of category winners appears below. Head to the World Sports Photography Awards website to view all category winners.

© Joel Marklund. Winter Sports winner. Linn Presson (Sweden) during the IBU Biathlon World Championships, Pokljuka, Slovenia.
© Joel Marklund. Winter Sports winner. Linn Presson (Sweden) during the
IBU Biathlon World Championships, Pokljuka, Slovenia.
© Samuel Barnes. Athletics winner. Ambra Sabatini (Italy) celbrating smashing the 100m T63 Paralympic world record, winning gold with compatriots Martina Caironi (silver) and Monica Contrafatto (bronze) Tokyo 2020, Paralympic Games, Athletics.
© Samuel Barnes. Athletics winner. Ambra Sabatini (Italy) celbrating smashing the 100m T63 Paralympic world record, winning gold with compatriots Martina Caironi (silver) and Monica Contrafatto (bronze) Tokyo 2020, Paralympic Games, Athletics.
© Ashley Landis. Gymnastics winner. Guan Chenchen (China) wins gold medal on the beam at Women's Gymnastics Apparatus Final 2020 Olympics, Tokyo, Japan.
© Ashley Landis. Gymnastics winner. Guan Chenchen (China) wins gold medal on the beam at Women's Gymnastics Apparatus Final 2020 Olympics, Tokyo, Japan.
© Donald Miralle. Racquet Sports winner. Alexa Szvitacs (Hungary) serving during Women's Doubles Table Tennis, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
© Donald Miralle. Racquet Sports winner. Alexa Szvitacs (Hungary) serving during Women's Doubles Table Tennis, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
© Morgan Treacy. Urban & Extreme winner. Catalin Preda (Romania) dives off the 27.5 metre platform at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Downpatrick Head, Ireland, September 2021.
© Morgan Treacy. Urban & Extreme winner. Catalin Preda (Romania) dives off the 27.5 metre platform at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Downpatrick Head, Ireland, September 2021.
© John Barry. Martial Arts winner. Max Holloway beats Calvin Kattar, at Fight Island in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - UFC.
© John Barry. Martial Arts winner. Max Holloway beats Calvin Kattar, at Fight Island in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - UFC.
© Richard Pelham. Boxing winner. Ebanie Bridges (Australia) with bad eye injury after her world WBA Bantamweight defeat over 10 rounds against rival Shannon Courtenay (England).
© Richard Pelham. Boxing winner. Ebanie Bridges (Australia) with bad eye injury after her world WBA Bantamweight defeat over 10 rounds against rival Shannon Courtenay (England).
© Muhammad Arbaz. Cricket winner. Khushdil Shah, taken in National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan.
© Muhammad Arbaz. Cricket winner. Khushdil Shah, taken in National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan.
© Clive Rose. Formula 1 winner. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull Racking, reacts after crashing during the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City, June 2021.
© Clive Rose. Formula 1 winner. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull Racking, reacts after crashing during the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City, June 2021.
© Steve Haag. Rugby winner. Springboks (South Africa) Lineout vs British and Irish Lions.
© Steve Haag. Rugby winner. Springboks (South Africa) Lineout vs British and Irish Lions.

 

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