Shooing flies, executing near back-breaking plays and just being magical, the work of some of the finest Black athletes produced entertaining images.
Associated Press photographers memorialized snippets in time during some at some of the most jaw-dropping and visually arresting seconds of athletic competitions in 2023. A number of the year-end photos featured Black athletes at their finest or funniest. In case you missed them, here’s a recap:
Streeetch!
Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss (21) reaches for a one-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Magic and joy
Sha’Carri Richardson, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women’s 100-meters during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Legend to legend
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 Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, practices on the uneven bars at the U.S. Classic gymnastics competition Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Putting his back into it
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, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
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, Australia, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
All wet and winning
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez laughs as teammate Teoscar Hernández douses him as they celebrate a 9-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Boink!
Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor is hit on the mask by a ball fouled off by Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Shoo, fly, shoo
Josh Awotunde blows away a bug as he competes in the men’s shot put during the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., Sunday, July 9, 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, Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Headshot
Terence Crawford, right, hits Errol Spence Jr. during their undisputed welterweight championship boxing match, Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Team U.S.A-lexis
Alexis Holmes, of the United States anchors her team to the gold medal as Femke Bol, of the Netherlands fell near the finish in the final of the 4×400-meters mixed relay during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
All the way home
Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz steals home with Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras covering during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
An artsy shot
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, Monday, June 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Warming up for the win
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts warms up before an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants on Christmas Day in Philly. (Photo: Matt Slocum/AP)
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