TIME World Press Photo

Here Are the Best Sports Photos of the Year

Each year, World Press Photo selects the best photojournalism images produced over the previous 12 months.

From Russian hockey players to African wrestling champions to a football team of Ebola survivors, the World Press Photo contest announced the top sports photographs of the year.

The 15 photographs were selected from among 82,951 images submitted by press photographers from across the world. The jury gave prizes in eight themed categories—from top Portraits to News to Nature.

The singles first prize went to Christian Walgram for his striking image of Czech Republic’s Ondrej Bank, mid-air on one ski during a downhill race at the FIS World Championships in Colorado. Another prize was given to Greg Nelson’s photo of basketball champion Ron Baker as he shoots for position during the National Athletic Association 2015 Mens Basketball Tournament game. Jonas Lindkvist’s photo followed with the Third Prize award for his image of synchronized swimmers performing a Christmas show in Sweden.

Three sports stories won: Vladimir Pesnya’s photographs of Russian hockey players going to regionals; Christian Bobst’s photo essay on wrestling tournaments in Senegal; and Tara Todras’ work on the Ebola Survivor’s Football Club to support survivors after 38 members of his family had died.

The overall winner, photographer Warren Richardson, captured a refugee father handing his baby to another man as they crossed the barbed-wired border between Serbia and Hungary.

Rachel Lowry is a writer and contributor for TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @rachelllowry.

Czech Republic's Ondrej Bank crashes during the downhill race of the Alpine Combined at the FIS World Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, USA, on February 15, 2015.

Your browser is out of date. Please update your browser at http://update.microsoft.com


YOU BROKE TIME.COM!

Dear TIME Reader,

As a regular visitor to TIME.com, we are sure you enjoy all the great journalism created by our editors and reporters. Great journalism has great value, and it costs money to make it. One of the main ways we cover our costs is through advertising.

The use of software that blocks ads limits our ability to provide you with the journalism you enjoy. Consider turning your Ad Blocker off so that we can continue to provide the world class journalism you have become accustomed to.

The TIME Team