Winners Announced for First-Ever “Canon Emerging Talent Award” at World Sports Photography Awards
Apr 23, 2026
Share:

If you love World Sports Photography Awards, you’ll love the Canon Emerging Talent Award. The inaugural contest results have just been announced, and Tom Weller from Germany has taken the top prize. His winning portfolio spans Basketball to Winter Sports, and it beat out more than 1,700 entries to claim Gold.
[Related Reading: Interview With NHL Photographer Bruce Bennett: On Covering Olympics, NHL, and 50+ Years of Sports Photography]
The Canon Emerging Talent Award is a new category within WSPA. It’s open to professional sports photographers aged under 30. Although this was its very first year, the response was significant with over 1,700 photographers submitting their work.
Richard Shepherd, Product Marketing Senior Manager, Imaging at Canon Europe, commented:
“Tom Weller’s portfolio captures what struck me most about this inaugural competition: this is not a generation waiting to arrive. 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.”





Weller’s winning portfolio sits alongside eight other standout collections. Beatriz Ryder da Costa took Silver with her Aquatic portfolio.





Seven Special Merit awards went to:
- Alex Davidson for Cricket
- Alexandre Baloukjy for Equestrian
- Ashley Ray for Gymnastics
- Claudia Greco for Winter Sports
- Harry Talbot for Cycling
- Jayce Illman for Formula 1
- Liz Vivien Höser for Gymnastics
Take a look at selected works below, and make sure to explore the entire gallery on the World Sports Photography Awards website. It’s definitely worth a look!







Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.



































Join the Discussion
DIYP Comment Policy
Be nice, be on-topic, no personal information or flames.