The three finalists for the Photograph of the Year award have been selected, with less than a month to go until the World Athletics Awards 2022.

From the 110 images that were submitted, a panel of judges – comprising Valerie Adams, Raquel Cavaco Nunes, Ivo Gonzalez, Renaud Lavillenie and Pascal Rondeau – narrowed the entries to 26 shortlisted images before deciding on the three finalists.

Photographers from 33 countries across all six continental areas submitted entries.

The 25 shortlisted images will form part of a digital exhibition on the World Athletics website that will go live later this month.

The winning photograph will be announced on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December, as part of the World Athletics Awards 2022.

The finalists


Grant Holloway of USA strides away from the chasing pack while competing in the men’s 60m hurdles semifinals during day three of the World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia.

Photo by Sam Barnes, Sportsfile

Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago celebrates after winning gold in the final of the Men’s 200m at the Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, August 6, 2022. REUTERS/Phil Noble


Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago celebrates after winning gold in the final of the men’s 200m at the Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England.

Photo by Phil Noble, Reuters

Germany’s Lea Meyer falls headfirst into the water whilst competing in the Women’s 3000 Meter Steeplechase on day two of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field, University of Oregon in the United States. Picture date: Saturday July 16, 2022. Picture by Martin Rickett/PA


Germany’s Lea Meyer falls headfirst into the water while competing in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on day two of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Oregon, USA.

Photo by Martin Rickett, PA Media

About the photographers

Sam Barnes
An experienced sports photographer, Barnes is originally from the UK but is currently based in Dublin, Ireland, where he has worked as a staff photographer with Dublin based agency Sportsfile since early 2015. He has worked closely with the Ireland athletics team for many years, covering numerous major championships around the world in the process.

Phil Noble
Noble is an award-winning photographer based in the North West of England. He has been on staff with Reuters since 2006, covering a wide range of news and sports assignments including Summer and Winter Olympic Games and Premier League and Champions League football.

Martin Rickett
Rickett is an award-winning sport photographer for PA Media based in Manchester, England. Since joining in 2001, he has covered multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Championships and European Athletics Championships. He has also covered many other sports and events, including thousands of football matches, from the Premier League to European Championships and World Cups.

World Athletics