The future is looking bright - see every entry for the Young Sports Photographer of the Year award

Judges had incredibly tough decisions when it came to reducing the entry for the Young Sports Photographer of the Year, sponsored by Canon, to a shortlist of just six.

The standard was so high we have decided to showcase all the entries in the gallery below – click the thumbnail to see the entrant’s full portfolio.

The judges were impressed by the quality on show and commented that it was a pleasure to see young talent producing portfolios of such excellence.

One judge commented: “I have judged a few young sports photographer competitions, and this is by far the highest standard I have seen.”

Matthew Fearn, picture editor of the Telegraph and chair of the SJA photography judges said: “The standard across this category was staggeringly high and the judges took an inordinate amount of time to decide on a shortlist and first place; for this, all the entrants should feel immensely proud”.

In March the SJA will launch a young sports photographers’ pictures-of-the-month gallery. Every entrant will be contacted towards the end of each month and invited to send in two or three of their favourite pictures. They will be displayed on the SJA website and through our social channels.

If you are a young sports photographer who didn’t enter the awards but would like to be included, contact james@s2fevents.co.uk.

The winners of the Young Sports Photographer of the year and the other photography categories will be revealed on the virtual SJA British Sports Journalism Awards on March 15.