2024 sporting moments in pictures

In a year marked by sporting brilliance, champions old and new captivated audiences and pushed the limits of human endurance. Reuters photographers were on hand to capture some of the most memorable moments.

The stand-out event of the year was the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris from July to September, where the City of Love's iconic landmarks provided a spectacular backdrop for the sport.

French swimmer Leon Marchand, U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, and Dutch runner Sifan Hassan were some of the stars whose remarkable performances will be remembered for years to come, while a gender eligibility dispute involving boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting sparked some controversy at the quadrennial event.

The fastest man on Earth was American Noah Lyles, edging out his competitors in the closest-ever Olympics 100 metres final by five thousandths of a second. The world's best surfers rode their waves to glory in Tahiti, some 16,000 km (10,000 miles) from Paris.

From Reuters, 67 photographers were on Olympics duty - the agency's most diverse team ever assembled for a major event, with a near 50-50 gender split and photographers from five continents.

The ever-popular sport of soccer still managed to capture headlines over a busy summer. Spain triumphed at Euro 2024, beating England in the final, and Lionel Messi's Argentina made history as they won a record 16th Copa America title. Manchester City won their fourth straight Premier League title and Liverpool fans said a sad farewell to their popular manager Juergen Klopp.

In tennis, one of the sport's all-time greats, Spain's Rafael Nadal, bid an emotional farewell, while Italy's Jannik Sinner experienced a year of highs and lows, winning two Grand Slam titles but also grappling