The Year in Photos: Sports

Every year, The Associated Press chooses a selection of photos that best documents the year’s top sports stories as chronicled by photojournalists around the world. Today, this collection was distributed by the AP to its members and subscribers worldwide. 

This year’s set of compelling and newsworthy images was selected by Acting Director of Photography Denis Paquin.

Below is a gallery featuring this year’s sports selection. 

Switzerland Alpine Skiing Worlds

Slovenia's Miha Hrobat competes during a men's downhill race, at the alpine ski World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Feb.12, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Austria Ski Jumping Four Hills

Markus Eisenbichler of Germany soars through the air during his trial jump at the third stage of the 65th four hills ski jumping tournament in Innsbruck, Austria, on Jan. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Argentina Dakar Rally

Peugeot driver Sebastien Loeb, of France, and co-driver Daniel Elena, of Monaco, race during stage 8 of the Dakar Rally between Uyuni, Bolivia, and Salta, Argentina, on Jan. 10, 2017. (Franck Fife/Pool photo via AP)

Britain Athletics Worlds

United States' Justin Gatlin, left, crosses the line to win gold ahead of silver medal winner United States' Christian Coleman, second right, and bronze medal winner Jamaica's Usain Bolt, right, in the men's 100m final during the World Athletics Championships in London on Aug. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Britain Athletics Worlds

Jamaica's Usain Bolt, center, pulls up injured in the final of the Men's 4x100m relay during the World Athletics Championships in London on Aug. 12, 2017. At right is United States' Christian Coleman. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Britain Athletics Worlds

Jamaica's Usain Bolt lies on the track after he injured himself during the 4x100 m relay final at the World Athletics Championships in London on Aug. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Falcons Lions Football

Detroit Lions players take a knee during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Detroit on Sept. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Spain Attacks Photo Gallery

Barcelona players stand for a minute of silence for the victims of the van attack on Barcelona's Las Ramblas, before a La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Betis at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Americas Cup Sailing

Emirates Team New Zealand, right, leads Oracle Team USA, left, during the fourth race of America's Cup competition on June 18, 2017, in Hamilton, Bermuda. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Masters Golf

Sergio Garcia, of Spain, reacts to his successful birdie putt on the 18th green to win the Masters golf tournament after a playoff on April 9, 2017, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Britain Wimbledon Tennis

Spain's Garbine Muguruza celebrates after beating Venus Williams of the United States to win the Women's Singles final match on day twelve at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Final Four Gonzaga North Carolina Basketball

North Carolina's Theo Pinson (1) dunks during the first half in the finals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against Gonzaga on April 3, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Final Four Gonzaga North Carolina Basketball

Gonzaga's Bryan Alberts, left, and Josh Perkins sit in the locker room after the finals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against North Carolina on April 3, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. North Carolina won 71-65. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Hong Kong World Track Cycling Championships

Russia's Anastasiia Voinova, left, and Daria Shmeleva, right, pose for a selfie with an unidentified woman after winning the gold medal in the Women's Team Sprint at the World Track Cycling championships in Hong Kong on April 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Australian Open Tennis

France's Benoit Paire takes a selfie with fans after defeating Italy's Fabio Fognini in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Finland Nordic Skiing Worlds

Norway's Marit Bjoergen arrives at the finish area to win the women's cross country 4x5 km relay classic free competition with her teammates Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Heidi Weng and Maiken Caspersen Falla at the 2017 Nordic Skiing World Championships in Lahti, Finland, on March 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Austria Alpine Skiing World Cup

Austria's Michael Matt speeds down the course during an alpine ski men's World Cup slalom, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Jan. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Australian Open Tennis

United States' Serena Williams serves to Britain's Johanna Konta during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Australian Open Tennis

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, bottom, of the U.S. and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic celebrate after defeating Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic and Peng Shuai of China in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

France Cycling Tour de France

Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, is followed by Italy's Fabio Aru as they climb Croix de Fer pass during the seventeenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 183 kilometers (113.7 miles) with a start in La Mure and finish in Serre-Chevalier, France, on July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France Cycling Tour de France

Germany's John Degenkolb, left, and Britain's Mark Cavendish lie on the ground after crashing during the sprint of the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 207.5 kilometers (129 miles) with a start in Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg, and finish in Vittel, France, on July 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Patriots Falcons Super Bowl Football

New England Patriots' Julian Edelman makes a catch as Atlanta Falcons' Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal defend, during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game on Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Patriots Falcons Super Bowl Football

New England Patriots' Tom Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game on Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

British Open Golf

Jordan Spieth of the United States adjusts his hat on the 18th green after the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale, Southport, England, on July 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

US Open Golf

Brooks Koepka poses with the winning trophy after the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis., on June 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Mexico F1 GP Auto Racing

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, celebrates at the end of the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix auto race at the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack in Mexico City on Oct. 29, 2017. Hamilton won his fourth career Formula One season championship with a ninth-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix in a race won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Emirates F1 GP Auto Racing

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gets out of his car in the team box during the third free practice at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Gymnastics Championships

Logan Dooley performs on the trampoline during the U.S. Gymnastics Championships on June 29, 2017, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

France Tennis French Open

Britain's Andy Murray taps the clay off his shoes in his fourth round match against Russia's Karen Khachanov at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris on June 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Macedonia Super Cup Soccer

Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini heads the ball during the UEFA Super Cup final soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester United at Philip II Arena in Skopje, on Aug. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Mayweather McGregor Boxing

Conor McGregor, center, stands next to Floyd Mayweather Jr., center left, during their weigh-in on Aug. 25, 2017, the day before their boxing match in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LLWS Canada Japan Baseball

Tokyo's Natsuki Yajima, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run off pitcher Reece Ussleman of White Rock, British Columbia, in the third inning of an international baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., on Aug. 23, 2017. Japan won 10-0. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pirates Phillies Baseball

Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Nick Williams jumps up against the fence, but fails to catch an RBI triple by Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Philadelphia on July 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

World Series Astros Dodgers Baseball

The Houston Astros celebrate after Game 7 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Astros won 5-1 to win the series 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

World Series Astros Dodgers Baseball

Members of the Los Angeles Dodgers watch as the Houston Astros celebrate their win in Game 7 of baseball's World Series on Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Astros won 5-1 to win the series 4-3. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Stanley Cup Celebration Hockey

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby rides with the Stanley Cup in the Stanley Cup victory parade in Pittsburgh on June 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Britain Soccer Champions League Final

Real Madrid players celebrate at the end of the Champions League soccer final between Juventus and Real Madrid at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on June 3, 2017. Real won the match 4-1. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Britain Wimbledon Tennis

Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates after defeating Croatia's Marin Cilic to win the Men's Singles final match on day thirteen at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on July 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

US Open Tennis

Sloane Stephens, of the United States, reacts as the lid to the championship trophy falls off during a photo app after the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Sept. 9, 2017, in New York. Stephens beat Madison Keys, of the United States, to win the championship. (AP Photo/Nick Didlick)

US Open Tennis

Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after beating Kevin Anderson, of South Africa, to win the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Sept. 10, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NBA Finals Cavaliers Warriors Basketball

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, left, and guard Stephen Curry celebrate during the second half of Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., on June 12, 2017. The Warriors won the game 129-120 to win the NBA championship. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Giants Browns Football

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) reaches but can't get to the ball in the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the New York Giants on Aug. 21, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

76ers Celtics Basketball

Philadelphia 76ers guard Gerald Henderson (12) falls as he tries to block a shot by Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game on Jan. 6, 2017, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Germany Sledge Race

Men soar through the air on their wooden sledge during a traditional Bavarian horn sledge race, known as 'Schnablerrennen' in Gaissach near Bad Toelz, Germany on Jan. 22, 2017. The race is held annually on sledges with long horn-shaped runners, which were formerly used to bring hay or logs down from the mountains. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Packers Football

Green Bay Packers' Johnathan Calvin rides a bike to NFL football training camp on July 27, 2017, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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