Netball, AFLW and Athletics have shone as the winners of the 2022 Women in Sport Photo Action Awards – #WISPAA were announced today.
Matt King’s “Lightning Strike” capture of Cara Koenen in action for the Sunshine Coast Lightning has taken to the top prize in the professional category, while David Layden’s “Strength and Determination” shot of Brisbane FC’s Belle Dawes has captured the crown in the amateur category.
In 2022, Women Sport Australia introduced the ‘Emerging Photographer’ category, inviting budding photographers under 21 to submit their images.
Ryan Jones, a uni student and promising photographer from NSW has taken out the inaugural prize in this category with his shot “Launch Control” of Pole Vaulter Nina Kennedy taking to the skies at the Australian Athletics Championships.
News Corp readers picked their favourite image in the professional category which was run online across the News Corp metro mastheads in SA, VIC, NSW and QLD. With 33% of the vote, Victoria’s Stef Hanson took out the News Corp People’s Choice award with her image of a triathlete Amelia Rose Watson caught in brilliant sunlight, dominating the votes.
The 2022 judges – Selina Steele, Women’s Sport Editor, News Corp Australia, Cassie Trotter, Director of Editorial for Getty Images Asia Pacific and Michael Willson, Chief Photographer of the AFL, narrowed down the winning shots from 30 professional and amateur finalist images.
“What I love about sport photography is it is the ultimate in visual storytelling – it’s that perfect intersection between action and raw emotion. These images will live beyond the full time whistle,” said Steele.
“These awards are a celebration of women’s sport and News Corp is proud to partner Women Sport Australia and the long overdue shift to photograph female bodies as an instrument and not an ornament.”
The winners of each category are as below:
Professional Winner: “Lightning Strike” by Matt King
Professional Runner Up: “Jamie Kah” by Scott Barbour
Professional Runner Up: “Mine!” by Daniel Pockett
Amateur winner: “Strength vs Determination” by David Layden
Amateur Runner Up: “Living on the Edge” by Malcolm Trees
Amateur Runner Up: “Oh no you don’t” by Nick Bamber
Emerging Winner: “Launch Control” by Ryan Jones
News Corp People’s Choice Winner: “A Flare for Winning” by Stef Hanson
Women Sport Australia (WSA) launched #WISPAA in 2019 to help showcase Australia’s sportswomen as role models and leaders.
“We’re thrilled once again to see the incredible athleticism of women playing sport captured in the winning images, ” said WSA President Gen Dohrmann.
“The range of sports captured goes to show how in demand there is for women playing what are traditionally men’s sports.”
You can download images showing all the professional finalists and amateur finalists here.
Publication of the images must carry this credit: Courtesy of Women Sport Australia and #WISPAA.
You can also view all the finalists’ images on Women Sport Australia’s website and social media channels – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
#WISPAA is a product of Women Sport Australia, the peak national advocacy body for women in sport.
