Reuters Sports photos of the year

Wrestlers practise as others rest in the mud at a traditional Indian wrestling centre called Akhaara in Mumbai in this March 4, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/Files (INDIA - Tags: SOCIETY SPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Paulo Goncalves of Portugal reacts in front of his Honda on fire during the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally 2014 from Chilecito to Tucuman, in this January 9, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Stringer/Files (ARGENTINA - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Akira Yaegashi (L) of Japan is punched by Odilon Zaleta of Mexico during their World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title bout in Tokyo in this April 6, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/Files (JAPANS - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT BOXING)

Williams Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil crashes with his car in the first corner after the start of the German F1 Grand Prix at the Hockenheim racing circuit, in this July 20, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Files (GERMANY - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT F1 TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Wang Yirong of Hebei province rides his motorcycle in a desert during the China Taklimakan Rally and CCR Xinjiang Station, in Shanshan, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in this May 31, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/China Daily/Files (CHINA - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA

Taiwan's Chang Wei-Lin competes during the men's 10,000m race walk at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in this August 24, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Aly Song/Files (CHINA - Tags: SPORT OLYMPICS ATHLETICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

San Antonio Spurs fans taunt Miami Heat's LeBron James during the third quarter in Game 2 of their NBA Finals basketball series in San Antonio, Texas, in this June 8, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Stone/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

England's Wayne Rooney (L) fights for the ball with Costa Rica's Junior Diaz during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte in this June 24, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files (BRAZIL - Tags: SOCCER SPORT WORLD CUP TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Uruguay's Luis Suarez reacts after clashing with Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Dunas arena in Natal in this June 24, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/Files (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY TOPCUP)

Sam Twiston-Davies on The New One jumps the final fence of the Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meet in Gloucestershire, western England in this March 11, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT HORSE RACING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Roger Federer of Switzerland reaches to hit a return during his men's singles final tennis match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London in this July 6, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/SangTan/Pool/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPOR TENNIS)

NBA superstar LeBron James' face image is covered over with black spray-paint in a mural of the championship team in the Wynwood district of Miami, Florida in this July 11, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Zachary Fagenson/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT BASKETBALL)

Mahindra Moto3 rider Bryan Schouten of the Netherlands fights with compatriot Kalex KTM Moto3 rider Scott Deroue (R) after they crashed during the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring circuit in the eastern German town of Hohenstein-Ernstthal in this July 13, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Files (GERMANY - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Germany's players lift the World Cup trophy as they celebrate their 2014 World Cup final win against Argentina at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro in this July 13, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Darren Staples/Files (BRAZIL - Tags: SOCCER SPORT WORLD CUP TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Ifeoma Nwoye of Nigeria is carried away by her coach after she lost her women's freestyle 55kg wrestling semi-final to Brittanee Laverdure of Canada at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in this July 31, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WRESTLING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Kenya's Denis Okoth lands a punch on England's Samuel Maxwell during their men's Light Welterweight boxing fight at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in this July 27, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Jim Young/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT BOXING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Ahmed Gueye from Senegal prepares before a fight at the Sport Palace during the third stage of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) regional wrestling event in Abidjan in this August 24, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Luc Gnago/Files (IVORY COAST - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY POLITICS SPORT WRESTLING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Los Angeles Clippers' new owner Steve Ballmer is introduced at a fan event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California in this August 18, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS SPORT BASKETBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Ukraine's Anna Voloshina performs in the synchronised swimming solo free routine preliminaries during the European Swimming Championships in Berlin in this August 15, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Michael Dalder/Files (GERMANY - Tags: SPORT SWIMMING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Lisa Ryzih of Germany competes in the women's pole vault during the European Athletics Championships at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich in this August 14, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Files (SWITZERLAND - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT ATHLETICS)

Serena Williams of the U.S. embraces her trophy after defeating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in their women's singles finals match at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, in this September 7, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT TENNIS)

Marin Cilic of Croatia celebrates after defeating Kei Nishikori of Japan in their men's singles final match at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, in this September 8, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT TENNIS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Japan's Yukiko Inui and Risako Mitsui perform in the women's duet technical routine synchronised swimming competition at Munhak Park Tae-hwan Aquatics Center during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon in this September 20, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne/Files (SOUTH KOREA - Tags: SPORT SWIMMING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Stefan Mitrovic of Serbia grabs a flag depicting so-called Greater Albania, an area covering all parts of the Balkans where ethnic Albanians live, that was flown over the pitch during their Euro 2016 Group I qualifying soccer match against Albania at the FK Partizan stadium in Belgrade in this October 14, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Marko Djurica/Files (SERBIA - Tags: SPORT SOCCER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Fans of Serbia confront the riot police during the Euro 2016 Group I qualifying soccer match between Serbia and Albania at the FK Partizan stadium in Belgrade in this October 14, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Marko Djurica/Files (SERBIA - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT) SOCCER)

Oct 29, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward James Ennis (32) dunks over Washington Wizards forward Rasual Butler (8) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Miami won 107-95. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports (TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Newcastle United fans celebrate their team's second goal against Manchester City during their English League Cup fourth round soccer match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England in this October 29, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Darren Staples/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats' Terrell Sinkfield (L) runs the ball past Ottawa Redblacks' Brandyn Thompson (C) and Damaso Munoz during the second half of their CFL football game in Hamilton, in this October 17, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/Files (CANADA - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Oct 29, 2014 file photo; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval celebrates with the Commissioners Trophy in the clubhouse after game seven of the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports/Files (TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Liverpool and Real Madrid players jump for a ball during their Champions League Group B soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, in this November 4, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Susana Vera/Files (SPAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Former Baltimore Ravens NFL running back Ray Rice (R) and his wife Janay arrive for a hearing at a New York City office building, in this November 5, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Segar/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT CRIME LAW FOOTBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Novak Djokovic of Serbia arrives for his tennis match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at the ATP World Tour finals at the O2 Arena in London, in this November 12, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT TENNIS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Fans look at a dance performance by third base umpire during the fourth inning of an exhibition baseball game between Japan and U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Stars in Tokyo, in this November 16, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Yuya Shino/Files (JAPAN - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT) BASEBALL)

Austria's Gregor Schlierenzauer takes off from the ski jump during the first practice session of the third jumping of the four-hills tournament in Innsbruck, in this January 3, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Files (AUSTRIA - Tags: SPORT SKIING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Switzerland's tournament overall leader Simon Ammann soars through the air to take the third place in the second jumping of the four-hills tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, in this January 1, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Files (GERMANY - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT SKIING)

Nov 30, 2014 file photo; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) and wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) and tight end Jared Cook (89) and wide receiver Chris Givens (13) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) put their hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports - (TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Nilton (R) of Cruzeiro jumps for the ball with Leonardo Silva of Atletico Mineiro during their Copa do Brasil final soccer match at Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, in this November 26, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Washington Alves/Files (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT SOCCER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Four runners carry Adam Hurst down Boylston Street after his legs locked up during the 118th running of the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts in this April 21, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT ATHLETICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS: THIS PICTURE IS PART OF THE PACKAGE 'PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2014 - THE PHOTOGRAPHERS' STORY'. SEARCH 'PHOTOGRAPHERS' STORY' FOR ALL IMAGES'

Nov 23, 2014 file photo, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) pulls in touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor-USA /files TODAY Sports (TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates with his team after winning the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, in this November 23, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/Files (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT F1 TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Seattle Seahawks Malcom Smith makes an angel in the confetti after his team defeated the Denver Broncos in the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in this February 2, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT FOOTBALL)

Four out of five Olympic rings are seen lit up during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, in this February 7, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/David Gray/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT OLYMPICS)

Tereza Vaculikova of the Czech Republic performs a jump during the women's freestyle skiing moguls qualification round at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, in this February 8, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Blake/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: SPORT SKIING OLYMPICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Men's Pro Open riders compete in the Canadian Snowcross Racing Association's (CSRA) Kawartha Cup in Lindsay, Ontario, in this February 8, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Fred Thornhill/Files (CANADA - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The Russian figure skating team steps onto the podium at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, in this February 9, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: SPORT FIGURE SKATING OLYMPICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Shaun White of the U.S. crashes during the men's snowboard halfpipe final event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, in Rosa, Khutor, in this February 11, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT OLYMPICS SNOWBOARDING)

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu reacts in the "kiss and cry" area during the Figure Skating Men's Short Program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, in this February 13, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT OLYMPICS FIGURE SKATING)

Belarus' Anton Kushnir competes during the men's freestyle skiing aerials qualification round at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, in this February 17, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: SPORT SKIING OLYMPICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Snowboarders compete though a fog during the men's snowboard cross finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, in this February 18, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Segar/Files (RUSSIA - Tags: SPORT OLYMPICS SPORT SNOWBOARDING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY ENVIRONMENT)

Arsenal's Bacary Sagna (front) collides with Bayern Munich's David Alaba during their Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London, in this February 19, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Darren Staples/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Feb 23, 2014 file photo; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Ryan Newman (31), Austin Dillon (3), Cole Whitt (26), Parker Kligerman (30), Terry Labonte (32) wreck during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports (TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT)

Patricia Bezzoubenko of Canada performs during her ribbon routine as she competes in the rhythmic Gymnastics individual all-around final at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in this July 25, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Files (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT GYMNASTICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Arthur Abele of Germany competes in the men's shot put decathlon during the European Athletics Championships at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, in this August 12, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Files (SWITZERLAND - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT ATHLETICS)

Dawn Harper-Nelson (C) of the U.S. celebrates winning the women's 100m hurdles event of the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, in this August 28, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/Files (SWITZERLAND - Tags: SPORT ATHLETICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

China's Shang Chunsong prepares to compete in the uneven bars event of the women's individual all-around final artistic gymnastics competition at the Namdong Gymnasium Club during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, in this September 23, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Files (SOUTH KOREA - Tags: SPORT GYMNASTICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

New York Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter celebrates his game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning in his final at bat at Yankee Stadium in New York to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in their MLB American League Baseball Game, in this September 25, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Mike Segar/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Fans climb a scoreboard to watch an African Cup of Nations qualifying soccer match between Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa , in this October 11, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Media Coulibaly/Files (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC CONGO - Tags: TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SPORT SOCCER)

Mahindra Moto3 rider Miguel Oliveira of Portugal falls off his motorcycle as course marshals run toward him during the Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo in this October 12, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/Files (JAPAN - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock ahead of the second day of the trial of the Olympic and Paralympic track star at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, in this March 4, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Kim Ludbrook/Pool/Files (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: SPORT ATHLETICS CRIME LAW TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Big-wave surfer Cliff Skudin of US drops in on a large wave at Praia do Norte, in Nazare in this November 29, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante/Files (PORTUGAL - Tags: SPORT ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A bead of sweat drips from Rafael Nadal of Spain during his men's singles quarter-final tennis match against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne, in this January 22, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/Files (AUSTRALIA - Tags: SPORT TENNIS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)