Special Merit Award. Mallory Franklin (2019). The British slalom canoeist has competed internationally since 2009 and won nine medals in total at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships with four golds, four silvers and a bronze. She has also won eleven medals at the European Championships. (Photo by Richard Pelham/World Sports Photography Awards 2021)

A girl, standing before her tea shop, which is completely ruined by sea water in Frazerganj, Sundarbans, India on August 18, 2020. After Cyclone Aila struck the Sundarbans in 2009, it became clear that frequent cyclonic events will turn the residents of Sundarbans into climate refugees. Within May 5, 2019 – May 25, 2021, Sundarbans faced cyclones- Fani, Bulbul, Amphan & Yaas – each devastating enough to justify the fear of mass displacement. (Photo by Supratim Bhattacharjee/Mangrove Photography Awards)

“Wong Maye-E joined AP as a staff photographer in 2003. Based in Singapore, Maye-E's work is centered around Sports reportage, entertainment, politics, and regional news stories. Maye-E has covered headlining events such as the 2014 World Cup, Thailand political protests, and the devastation of the Philippines Typhoon”. – Associated Press. Photo: A baby black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) clings onto its mother's back on Thursday January 29, 2009 in Singapore where it's national zoo is actively involved in the conservation and education of wildlife reserves. (Photo by Wong Maye-E/AP Photo)

David Guttenfelder was born in Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology. He has worked for the AP since 1994 based in Kenya, the Ivory Coast, India and Japan. He is currently AP’s chief Asia photographer and his feature work has been used prominently in editorial publications throughout the world including Time and National Geographic. Photo: U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, fire mortars at known enemy firing positions from a base in the Pech River Valley in Afghanistan's Kunar province, Saturday, October 24, 2009. (Photo by David Guttenfelder/AP Photo)

Kazakh girls watch as the Russian Soyuz TMA-15 rocket carrying Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Frank De Winne of Belgium and Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko readies for take-off from the Baikonur cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan on May 27, 2009. Three astronauts, from Canada, Belgium and Russia, blasted off for the International Space Station in a landmark mission that will double its crew to six for the first time. (Photo by Dmitry Kostyukov/AFP Photo)

“Takeru Kobayashi (born March 15, 1978) is a Japanese competitive eater. He held the world record for hot dog eating for nearly six years, and holds several other eating records, including four Guinness Records for hot dogs, meatballs, hamburgers, and pasta”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Takeru Kobayashi challeges 2011 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Competition contestants via satellite at 230 Fifth Avenue on July 4, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Wirittorn Narapatarapimol (Belle) a Miss Tiffany Universe contestant tries on earrings in a private dressing room on May 15, 2009 in Pattaya, Thailand. The Miss Tiffany Universe contest has been running for 12 years, with all contestants transexuals or transvestites, aiming to promote human rights for the transgender population in Thailand. In Thailand transexuals are considered a third gender given the Thai name “Katoey”. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

A dog wears fake eyes while riding a motorcycle in Samut Sakhon, Thailand June 23, 2016. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)