Unforgettable snippets in time from the sports we love

They are snippets in time, unforgettable snapshots that gloriously capture the soaring euphoria and gut-wrenching agony of the games we love, not to mention the randomness of a moment that might’ve gone unnoticed otherwise.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is dunked after his team’s 38-35 Super Bowl win against the Philadelphia Eagles, in Glendale, Ariz., Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

There are the Kansas City Chiefs, dunking head coach Andy Reid with a jug-full of frigid drink after their stirring Super Bowl triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles, fulfilling what has become a rite of passage in all gridiron celebrations.

And the Vegas Golden Knights, gathered in a giant group hug behind the net after capturing the NHL’s Stanley Cup championship, the glittering ice beneath their skates littered with discarded gloves.

Vegas Golden Knights teammates celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, in Las Vegas, June 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Then there’s Femke Bol, a track athlete from the Netherlands, tumbling toward the track with a gasp of disbelief across her face, the baton slipping from her grasp as she falls near the finish line of a relay race at the world championships.

Alexis Holmes, of the United States, anchors her team to the gold medal as Femke Bol, of the Netherlands, falls near the finish, in the final of the 4x400-meters mixed relay during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

And Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, smashing a golf club across his leg like a child trying to snap a tree limb in half, the frustration evident after an errant shot from the thick rough at the U.S. Open.

But let’s not forget Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, her braided ponytail soaring above her head as she whacks a serve at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova serves to Serbia's Natalija Stevanovic in a women's singles match on day six of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

And Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor, captured in another close-up at the very instant that a foul ball smashed off his mask during an otherwise ho-hum game in the midst of summer at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Sure, we’re all intrigued by the most notable among us, whether it’s singer Taylor Swift cheering from a football luxury suite or Britain’s King Charles III letting out a gasp from the royal box at the Royal Ascot horse racing meet.

Britain's King Charles III, Camilla, the Queen Consort and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, watch a race on day two of the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting, in Ascot, England, June 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

But countless moments give us the full picture.

Thanks to the photographers of The Associated Press, so many of them will remain a timeless part of our memories.

Bokai Huang, of China, competes in the men's pole vault final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko is challenged by AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori, top, during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and AC Milan at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, May 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Terence Crawford, right, punches Errol Spence Jr. during their undisputed welterweight championship boxing match, in Las Vegas, July 29, 2023. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Anaheim, Calif., June 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken of Germany, celebrate winning the men's doubles race at the Luge World Championships in Oberhof, Germany, Jan. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays a shot against Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, June 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas plays a shot against Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Manchester City soccer players celebrate their 1-0 win at the end of the Champions League final against Inter Milan, at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, June 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Rory McIlroy bends his club after his shot from the rough on the 14th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at the LA Country Club in Los Angeles, June 17, 2023. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A runner competes in the men's marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Jon Rahm, of Spain, celebrates on the 18th green after winning the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, in Augusta, Ga., April 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Brazil's Geovanna Santos competes in the gymnastics rhythmic individual ball final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Bourton Rovers players compete during the annual traditional River Windrush soccer match, which has been taking place for over 100 years, in the Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water, England, Aug. 28, 2023. The event sees two teams of six from Bourton Rovers Football Club play a 30 minute soccer match in the usually calm river water. Goalposts are set up in the river and players attempt to score as many goals as possible, whilst getting all spectators as wet as possible in the process. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Britain's Moto2 racer Jake Dixon celebrates is victory on the Motorcycle Grand Prix podium at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside of Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Team Chile scrums during a warm up prior to their Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Samoa, at the Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Simone Biles practices on the uneven bars at the U.S. Classic gymnastics competition, in Hoffman Estates, Ill., Aug. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Gold medalists China's Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi take part in the free routine segment of the Artistic Swimming Women's Duet competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina deflects a shot by Inter Miami forward Leonardo Campana, during the second half of their MLS soccer match, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Argentine Boca Juniors fans gather on Copacabana beach the day before their team faces Brazil's Fluminense in the Copa Libertadores championship match, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nov. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Taylor Swift watches from a suite, the first half of an NFL football game, in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The pack rides during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Mont-de-Marsan and finish in Bordeaux, France, July 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Chris Blowes, of Australia, duck-dives under a wave during the U.S. Open Adaptive Surfing Championships in Oceanside, Calif., Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz steals home with Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras covering, in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Milwaukee, July 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

People enter Vila Belmiro stadium where Pele, the late Brazilian soccer great lies in state, in Santos, Brazil, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Fans known as "The Richies" cheer as Australia's Usman Khawaja celebrates with making 100 runs against South Africa during the second day of their cricket test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Jan. 5, 2023. "The Richies" are an homage to former Australian cricket player and broadcasting legend Richie Benaud. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho scores his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match against Everton, at Goodison Park Stadium, in Liverpool, England, Nov. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor is hit on his mask by a ball fouled off Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, July 1, 202,. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Josh Awotunde blows away an insect as he competes in the men's shot put during the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., July 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Team USA waits for a corner kick during the Women's World Cup Group E soccer match against Portugal, at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Aug. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

China's Feng Yan Zhe, right, and Huang Dong Ping celebrate their victory at the end of the mixed doubles final match in the Indonesia Masters badminton tournament, in Jakarta, Jan. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

Participants in T-Rex costumes race in the first set of heats during the "T-Rex World Championship Races" at Emerald Downs, in Auburn, Wash., Aug. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The wooden tee of United States' Cheyenne Knight bounces up after she plays her shot from the 9th tee during the afternoon fourball match at the Solheim Cup golf tournament in Finca Cortesin, near Casares, southern Spain, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss reaches for a one-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez is doused with after a 9-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, at the end of their baseball game, in Seattle, Aug. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Sha'Carri Richardson, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal in the final of the women's 100-meters during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A security guard grabs a boy who invaded the field to hug India's captain Rohit Sharma, during the second one-day international cricket match against New Zealand, in Raipur, India, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Coco Gauff of the U.S. plays a forehand return to compatriot Bernarda Pera during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Peru's Jose Sanchez, left, and Colombia's Jorge Cabezas, battle for the ball during a South America U-20 soccer match in Cali, Colombia, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim is bowled out by New Zealand's Matt Henry during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match, in Chennai, India, Oct. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, right, scores his side's last minute goal during a Champions League group E soccer match against Atletico Madrid, at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay circuit, Singapore, Sept. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Euro 2024 group J qualifying soccer match against Slovakia, at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Oct. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)

Gabriela Dabrowski, of Canada, right, and Erin Routliffe, of New Zealand, return a shot during the women's doubles final, in New York, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

South Africa's Jesse Kriel, right, and teammate Eben Etzebeth celebrate their 12-11 victory over New Zealand, at the end of their Rugby World Cup final match, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, Oct. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course on her way to win an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, in Kronplatz, Italy, Jan. 24, 2023. Shiffrin's giant slalom victory broke a tie on the all-time women's list with former American teammate Lindsey Vonn. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Europe's Team Captain Luke Donald, center, and team members, lift the Ryder Cup after winning it at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Guidonia Montecelio, Italy, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, left, hands the ball to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James after passing Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in Los Angeles, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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Lead caption: Spain's Salma Paralluelo lies on the ground with her gold medal at the end of the Women's World Cup soccer final against England, at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Aug. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Text from AP News story, AP sports photos of the year capture unforgettable snippets in time from the games we love, by Paul Newberry

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