AP Sports Photos of the Year: Capturing Timeless Moments from Beloved Games

These images are timeless moments, unforgettable vignettes that magnificently encapsulate the intense joy and profound sorrow inherent in the sports we cherish. They also highlight the fleeting, often overlooked moments that unfold spontaneously.

Highlighted are moments like the Kansas City Chiefs exuberantly dousing head coach Andy Reid with a cold beverage, celebrating their Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles – a tradition in football celebrations.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is showered in celebration following their victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at the NFL Super Bowl 57, on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the Philadelphia Eagles with a score of 38-35. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Another moment captured is the Vegas Golden Knights in a jubilant embrace behind the goal post, marking their NHL Stanley Cup victory, the ice around them strewn with discarded gloves.

The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate their Stanley Cup victory over the Florida Panthers, winning 9-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Femke Bol, a Dutch track athlete, is pictured in a moment of shock, falling and losing grip of the baton near the finish line of a relay race at the world championships.

Alexis Holmes of the United States leads her team to victory as Femke Bol of the Netherlands stumbles near the finish in the 4×400-meters mixed relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is seen venting his frustration, breaking a golf club on his leg like snapping a twig, after a challenging shot at the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy shows his displeasure after a difficult shot from the rough on the 14th hole during the U.S. Open’s third round at the Los Angeles Country Club, on Saturday, June 17, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic is depicted in mid-action, her braided ponytail flying as she serves at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova serves against Serbia’s Natalija Stevanovic in a women’s singles match at Wimbledon, on Saturday, July 8, 2023, in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor is captured at the precise moment a foul ball strikes his mask during a summer game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor gets hit by a foul ball from Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki during the fourth inning of their game, on Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Celebrities like singer Taylor Swift and Britain’s King Charles III are also featured, observed in their reactions at different sporting events.

Taylor Swift is seen during the NFL football game’s first half, on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Britain’s King Charles III, along with Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, react at the Royal Ascot horse racing meet, on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Ascot, England. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

The compilation of these moments offers a comprehensive view of the sporting world.

A runner participates in the men’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Brazil’s Geovanna Santos performs in the gymnastics rhythmic individual ball final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Players from Bourton Rovers engage in the traditional River Windrush soccer match in Bourton-on-the-Water, England, on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. This century-old event involves a 30-minute soccer match in the river, aiming to score goals and soak spectators. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Britain’s Jake Dixon celebrates his Moto 2 race win at the Catalunya Motorcycle Grand Prix in Montmelo, Spain, on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Chile’s rugby team prepares for the Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Samoa at Stade de Bordeaux, France, on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

China’s Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi perform in the

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More about Sports Photography 2023

• AP Sports Photography
• Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Win
• Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup
• World Athletics Championships Highlights
• Rory McIlroy U.S. Open Performance
• Wimbledon Tennis Championships
• Iconic Sporting Moments 2023