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December 22, 2021

Best of 2021: 16 images that shaped the world of sport over the past 12 months

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Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her third round Australian Open match against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. Osaka would go on to win the Australian Open in dominant style for her fourth grand slam title. Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters.

Andrej Isakovic’s epic “Halo over Hamilton” photo perfectly captured the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen throughout 2021. The photo was awarded AFP Picture of the Year 2021.

Bond, is that you? Novak Djokovic of Serbia arrives on court before his quarter final match against Taylor Fritz of the US at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris. This stunning image was captured by Yoan Valat.

On April 24 Rose “Thug” Namajunas knocked out former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili to recapture the UFC world title in dramatic fashion. Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images.

British teen Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open women’s single champion, becoming the first-ever qualifier to win a grand slam singles title. Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/USA Today Sports

The world watched as Naomi Osaka carried the Olympic torch towards the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

China’s artistic swimming team showed grace and poise during their free routine at the Tokyo Games. Photo: Marko Djurica/Reuters

Russia’s Dina Averina competes in the individual all-around final of the Rhythmic Gymnastics event during Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics centre in Tokyo. Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP

Cheung Ka Long (left) competes against Italy’s Daniele Garozzo in the men’s individual foil gold medal bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where Cheung secured the city’s first ever fencing gold medal. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Simone Biles of the United States captured training on vault for artistic gymnastics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Photo: Ashley Landis/AP

The women’s 400m hurdles semi final took place during heavy rainfall at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Photo: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Hong Kong’s Shek Wai Hung competes on the vault during the men’s artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Mike Egerton/dpa

An underwater view shows Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey on her way to winning the women’s 100m freestyle swimming semi-final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP

One of the more surreal images to emerge from the Tokyo Games. Rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram in action during her individual ball final. Photo: Spasiyana Sergieva/Reuters

This image of Argentina’s Lionel Messi thrown into the air by teammates after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match against Brazil was one of AFP’s 2021 images of the year. Photo: Carl De Souza/AFP

Gold met gold during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s heavyweight medal ceremony where gold medallist Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba seemed right at home. Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters

Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her third round Australian Open match against Tunisia’s Ons...Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her third round Australian Open match against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. Osaka would...

December 22, 2021

Best of 2021: 16 images that shaped the world of sport over the past 12 months

From Siobhan Haughey’s Olympic triumphs to Naomi Osaka winning the Australian Open, 2021 was an...

Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her third round Australian Open match against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. Osaka would go on to win the Australian Open in dominant style for her fourth grand slam title. Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters.

Andrej Isakovic’s epic “Halo over Hamilton” photo perfectly captured the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen throughout 2021. The photo was awarded AFP Picture of the Year 2021.

Bond, is that you? Novak Djokovic of Serbia arrives on court before his quarter final match against Taylor Fritz of the US at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris. This stunning image was captured by Yoan Valat.

On April 24 Rose “Thug” Namajunas knocked out former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili to recapture the UFC world title in dramatic fashion. Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images.

British teen Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open women’s single champion, becoming the first-ever qualifier to win a grand slam singles title. Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/USA Today Sports

The world watched as Naomi Osaka carried the Olympic torch towards the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

China’s artistic swimming team showed grace and poise during their free routine at the Tokyo Games. Photo: Marko Djurica/Reuters

Russia’s Dina Averina competes in the individual all-around final of the Rhythmic Gymnastics event during Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics centre in Tokyo. Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP

Cheung Ka Long (left) competes against Italy’s Daniele Garozzo in the men’s individual foil gold medal bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where Cheung secured the city’s first ever fencing gold medal. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Simone Biles of the United States captured training on vault for artistic gymnastics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Photo: Ashley Landis/AP

The women’s 400m hurdles semi final took place during heavy rainfall at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Photo: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Hong Kong’s Shek Wai Hung competes on the vault during the men’s artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Mike Egerton/dpa

An underwater view shows Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey on her way to winning the women’s 100m freestyle swimming semi-final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP

One of the more surreal images to emerge from the Tokyo Games. Rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram in action during her individual ball final. Photo: Spasiyana Sergieva/Reuters

This image of Argentina’s Lionel Messi thrown into the air by teammates after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match against Brazil was one of AFP’s 2021 images of the year. Photo: Carl De Souza/AFP

Gold met gold during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s heavyweight medal ceremony where gold medallist Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba seemed right at home. Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters

Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her third round Australian Open match against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. Osaka would go on to win the Australian Open in dominant style for her fourth grand slam title. Photo: Loren Elliott/Reuters.

Andrej Isakovic’s epic “Halo over Hamilton” photo perfectly captured the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen throughout 2021. The photo was awarded AFP Picture of the Year 2021.

Bond, is that you? Novak Djokovic of Serbia arrives on court before his quarter final match against Taylor Fritz of the US at the Rolex Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris. This stunning image was captured by Yoan Valat.

On April 24 Rose “Thug” Namajunas knocked out former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili to recapture the UFC world title in dramatic fashion. Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images.

British teen Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open women’s single champion, becoming the first-ever qualifier to win a grand slam singles title. Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/USA Today Sports

The world watched as Naomi Osaka carried the Olympic torch towards the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Games. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

China’s artistic swimming team showed grace and poise during their free routine at the Tokyo Games. Photo: Marko Djurica/Reuters

Russia’s Dina Averina competes in the individual all-around final of the Rhythmic Gymnastics event during Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics centre in Tokyo. Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP

Cheung Ka Long (left) competes against Italy’s Daniele Garozzo in the men’s individual foil gold medal bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where Cheung secured the city’s first ever fencing gold medal. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Simone Biles of the United States captured training on vault for artistic gymnastics at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Photo: Ashley Landis/AP

The women’s 400m hurdles semi final took place during heavy rainfall at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Photo: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Hong Kong’s Shek Wai Hung competes on the vault during the men’s artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Mike Egerton/dpa

An underwater view shows Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey on her way to winning the women’s 100m freestyle swimming semi-final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP

One of the more surreal images to emerge from the Tokyo Games. Rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram in action during her individual ball final. Photo: Spasiyana Sergieva/Reuters

This image of Argentina’s Lionel Messi thrown into the air by teammates after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match against Brazil was one of AFP’s 2021 images of the year. Photo: Carl De Souza/AFP

Gold met gold during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s heavyweight medal ceremony where gold medallist Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba seemed right at home. Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters

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