Aerial view of two basketball players, one in black and one in orange, jumping to reach the ball above the hoop during a game, both extending their arms towards the ball.Tom Weller from Germany won the inaugural prize for his portfolio that ranges from basketball to winter sports.

Germany’s Tom Weller has taken the inaugural top prize for the Canon Emerging Talent Award at the World Sports Photography Awards.

The Canon Emerging Talent Award showcases work from the world’s finest professional sports photographers aged under 30. Weller’s winning portfolio sits alongside eight other standout collections from exceptional young photographers worldwide, covering a broad range of sporting events and disciplines.

A ski jumper is captured mid-air against a dark night sky, with bright stadium lights illuminating snow in the foreground. The scene is dramatic and dynamic, highlighting the skier’s silhouette and motion.Tom Weller / World Sports Photography Awards A person wearing a helmet and goggles leans out from under the metallic wing of an aircraft, holding a camera, with their reflection visible on the shiny surface above. The background is a hazy sky.Tom Weller / World Sports Photography Awards A ski jumper in mid-air soars against a backdrop of tall, snow-capped mountains and a dark forested hillside. The athlete is wearing a helmet and a suit, with skis extended forward.Tom Weller / World Sports Photography Awards A skier wearing a helmet, goggles, and race bib number 30 makes a sharp turn during a slalom race, kicking up snow while maneuvering between red and blue slalom poles on a snowy slope.Tom Weller / World Sports Photography Awards

Marking a milestone in the competition’s history, this first-ever Emerging Talent Award drew remarkable interest, attracting more than 1,700 entrants to the newly-launched event.

“Young creatives across the globe are embracing new technologies and techniques while producing work so compelling that even their own role models are taking notice,” a press release reads. “They continue to push boundaries and are breathing fresh inspiration into the seasoned professionals who paved the way before them.”

A surfer rides inside the barrel of a powerful, curling wave. Water arcs dramatically overhead, framing the surfer in the tube. The image is in black and white, emphasizing the wave’s texture and motion.Beatriz Ryder was awarded silver. A surfer underwater in a wetsuit holds onto a surfboard, swimming beneath a wave with sunlight filtering through the water above. The scene captures movement and intensity beneath the ocean surface.Beatriz Ryder / World Sports Photography Awards A surfer in a black wetsuit rides a large, powerful blue wave, positioned inside the barrel as water crashes dramatically around him.Beatriz Ryder / World Sports Photography Awards A surfer rides down the face of a massive, barreling blue wave under a clear sky, with the ocean and a few onlookers in the background.Beatriz Ryder / World Sports Photography Awards A person in a black swimsuit stands on a surfboard in the ocean, partially obscured by a wave, with a clear blue sky in the background.Beatriz Ryder / World Sports Photography Awards

The winners of the main World Sports Photography Awards competition were announced back in January.

“Tom Weller’s portfolio captures what struck me most about this inaugural competition: this is not a generation waiting to arrive,” says Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe.

“His work has a confidence and range that would stand out at any level, and he is not alone in that. These photographers are already here, driving the standard for all. Canon has always been part of the story of professional sports photography, and this award is our commitment to being there for the next chapter from the start.”

Special Merit A group of cricket players in cream uniforms and caps stand in a huddle, looking up towards the camera, with blue sky and clouds visible above them. The word “DREAM11” is visible on their sweaters.Alex Davidson / World Sports Photography Awards A large group of cyclists ride along a winding road through grassy fields, with support vehicles and spectators nearby. The scene is lively and colorful, with trees and flags in the background.Harry Talbot / World Sports Photography Awards Formula 1 cars race through heavy spray on a wet track, with two orange and black cars leading the pack, followed by cars in various colors barely visible in the mist behind them.Jayce Illman / World Sports Photography Awards A gymnast with braided hair and a sparkly black leotard performs an intense balancing pose on a beam, her face focused and partially framed by her leg, against a blurred red background.Ashley Ray / World Sports Photography Awards
A gymnast grips a horizontal bar with chalked hands, mid-routine, wearing a teal and red uniform against a dark background.Liz Vivien Höser / World Sports Photography Awards A swimmer captured underwater right after diving in, arms outstretched and surrounded by bubbles, with blue water and light reflections visible above.Claudia Greco / World Sports Photography Awards Horse race in a historic city square with riders in colorful outfits, kicking up dust as crowds watch from the surrounding medieval buildings under a dramatic evening sky.Alexandre Baloukjy / World Sports Photography Awards

All the winning images are showcased on the World Sports Photography Awards website.