Best sports photos of 2014

Throughout the year, AP photojournalists flank the sidelines of most major sports events and games, bringing you stories and images that place you between coaches and coveted court-side seats.

As the editors of AP Images blog, we are proud to highlight the best photos from the top sports stories of 2014.

APTOPIX Sochi Olympics Figure Skating

Maylin Wende and Daniel Wende of Germany compete in the team pairs short program figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

APTOPIX Ducks Kings Hockey

Fans arrive before the start of an NHL outdoor hockey game at Dodger Stadium between the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

APTOPIX World Series Royals Giants Baseball

San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval, left, leaps up to high five Brandon Belt after defeating the Kansas City Royals 11-4 in Game 4 of baseball's World Series Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, in San Francisco. The Giants tied the series 2-2. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

YE World Cup Italy Uruguay

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Uruguay's Luis Suarez holds his teeth after running into Italy's Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder during the group D World Cup soccer match between Italy and Uruguay at the Arena das Dunas in Natal, Brazil, Tuesday, June 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File)

APTOPIX Preakness California Chrome

Exercise rider Willie Delgado laughs as he waits to guide Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome onto a trailer at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Tuesday, May 20, 2014. The horse is headed to Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y, where the Belmont Stakes horse race is scheduled to take place June 7. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

YE Barclays Golf

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Zoe Mahan, center, pushes the trophy as her mother Kandi Mahan, left, grabs her while they pose with Hunter Mahan, husband, father and winner of The Barclays golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014, in Paramus, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

YE Spain F1 GP Auto Racing

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates on the podium after winning the Spain Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, May 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)

YE Australia F1 GP Auto Racing

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Caterham driver Kamui Kobayashi of Japan runs off the track after he crashed with Williams driver Felipe Massa of Brazil on the first lap of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 16, 2014. Both Massa and Kobayashi walked away from the accident. (AP Photo/Ross Land, File)

APTOPIX Britain Wimbledon Tennis

Novak Djokovic of Serbia holds up the trophy after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland in the men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Sunday, July 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

YE Spain F1 GP Auto Racing

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car before wining the Spain Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, near Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, May 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

APTOPIX Germany Soccer WCup Homecoming

The German soccer squad arrives in central Berlin Tuesday, July 15, 2014. Germany’s World Cup-winning team has returned home from Brazil to celebrate the country’s fourth title with huge crowds of fans. The team’s Boeing 747 touched down at Berlin’s Tegel airport midmorning Tuesday after flying a lap of honor over the “fan mile” in front of the landmark Brandenburg Gate. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

APTOPIX Sochi Olympics Luge Women

Kate Hansen of the United States prepares to start a run during the women's singles luge training at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

APTOPIX Britain Commonwealth Games

Lights flare as Harry Owen of Wales performs on the rings during the Men's All-Around gymnastics competition at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre during the Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday July 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

YE Cycling Tour de France

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Spain's Alberto Contador crosses the finish line with a delay of more than two minutes on his main rivals during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 155 kilometers (96.3 miles) with start in Ypres, Belgium, and finish in Arenberg, France, Wednesday, July 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

APTOPIX Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

The New Zealand rugby team dance after winning the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament against England in Hong Kong, Sunday, March 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

YE Sochi Olympics Halfpipe

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Shaun White, of the United States, hits the edge of the half pipe during the men's snowboard halfpipe final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

APTOPIX Phelps Comeback Swimming

Cullen Jones dives off a starting block in the final heat of the men's 50-meter freestyle at the Bulldog Grand Slam swim meet at the University of Georgia, Saturday, July 12, 2014, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

APTOPIX Germany UFC Mixed Martial Arts

CB Dollaway from the United States fights Francis Carmont from France in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night mixed martial arts event in Berlin, Saturday, May 31, 2014. Cb Dollaway won the fight. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

YE Heat Nets Basketball

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Brooklyn Nets forward Paul Pierce (34) fouls Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) as he drives through the lane to score in the first period during Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal NBA playoff basketball game on Saturday, May 10, 2014, in New York. Pierce was called for a flagrant foul and James scored on the play. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

APTOPIX Drake Relays Athletics

Kansas State's Morgan Wedekind lands in the water during the women's university 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Drake Relays athletics meet, Saturday, April 26, 2014, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

APTOPIX Sochi Olympics Snowboard Women

Kelly Clark of the United States trains for the women's snowboard halfpipe competition at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

APTOPIX Spain Valencia Open Tennis

Andy Murray reacts after winning the final match against Tommy Robredo from Spain, at ATP 500 World Tour Valencia Open tennis tournament at the agora building of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

APTOPIX Orioles Yankees Baseball

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter jumps after hitting the game-winning single against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, in New York. The Yankees won 6-5. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

YE French Open

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - Russia's Maria Sharapova reacts after defeating Romania's Simona Halep during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, June 7, 2014. Sharapova won 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. (AP Photo/David Vincent, File)

One Handed Grabs Football

FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2014, file photo, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) in the second quarter of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J. The one-handed catch by Odell Beckham Jr. that became the most talked-about play from Sunday did more than just boost his standing with the New York Giants, it paid off a routine growing popular among many skill players of practicing the impractical, one-handed circus grab. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, FILE)

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