Welcome to Big Shots

Like these athletes, it's hard not to get excited as we launch Big Shots, a weekly global tour of great sports imagery from some of the best photographers in the business. Each week we'll bring you stunning pictures of sporting events -- both hyped and modest, of athletes -- both famous and obscure, and of countries -- both familiar and exotic. Join us now as we visit Sydney for the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, travel to South Korea for the FIS Snowboard World Championships, and watch the competition from Croatia for the Men's World Handball Championship. And that's just the beginning. (30 photos total)

(Pictured clockwise from top left, our excited Big Shots ambassadors: Barcelona's Bojan Krkic, an Oman soccer fan, tennis' Serena Williams, Sweden's handball goalkeeper Per Sandstorm, the Suns' Steve Nash, and the Lakers' Pau Gasol.

The shadow of Mardy Fish is cast onto the court as he plays a shot to Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia during their men's singles match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney January 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) #

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia plays a backhand during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open 2009 at Melbourne Park on January 13, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) #

American Summer Ross warms up before the Beach Volleyball gold medal playoff against Australia on day five of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival at Maroubra Beach on January 18, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Mark Nolan/Getty Images) #

Riders display motocross freestyle during an exhibition in Rio Hato, Panama on January 11, 2009. (ELMER MARTINEZ/AFP/Getty Images) #

A competitor jumps during practice ahead of the Freestyle World Cup at the Olympic Jumping Complex January 17, 2009 in Lake Placid, New York. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) #

A performer is suspended in the 'Defying Gravity' show during the opening ceremony for the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney on January 14, 2009. Over 1,500 athletes from 31 nations will compete in 17 Olympic sports. (TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images) #

Chinese athletes perform during the Synchronised Trampoline competition at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival at the Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre on January 16, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Mark Nolan/Getty Images) #

Toyota Racing's Jarno Trulli steers his Formula One car in the rain during tests January 20 2009, at the Algarve circuit near Portimao, Portugal. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) #

KTM rider Marc Coma competes in the tenth stage of the Argentina Dakar Rally 2009 near Copiapo, Chile January 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) #

Mark Miller's co-pilot Ralf Pitchford clears the way for his Volkswagen during the 12th stage of the Argentina Dakar Rally 2009 between Fiambala and La Rioja, Argentina, on January 15, 2009. (CHRISTOPHE ENA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Ducati rider Casey Stoner steers his kart during a race at the "Wrooom, F1 and MotoGP Press Ski Meeting," Ducati and Ferrari's annual media gathering, in Madonna di Campiglio January 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Stringer) #

Brakewoman Heather Moyse of Canada slides down the natural ice track as pilot Kaillie Humphries sits in the bobsleigh after they crashed during the second run at the two-woman Bobsleigh World Cup tournament in the Swiss mountain resort of St. Moritz January 16, 2009. (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann) #

Germany's Tobias Wendl, left, and Tobias Arlt win the men's doubles event of the Luge World Championships in Oberhof, Germany on January 17, 2009. (JENS-ULRICH KOCH/AFP/Getty Images) #

Markus Schairer, right, of Austria crosses the finish line ahead of Xavier De Le Rue of France during the men's snowboard cross final at the FIS Snowboard World Championships in Hoengseong, South Korea January 18, 2009. (REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak) #

Patrick Koller of Austria leads through a turn during the men's ski cross heats on day two of the Freestyle World Cup on January 19, 2009 in Lake Placid, New York. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) #

Two year old Dylan Rud of Long Beach keeps an eye on Alexander Frolov of the Los Angeles Kings during warmups prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 12, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) #

A Colombian boy refreshes himself after a football match on January 18, 2009, in Medellin, Colombia. Through football schools Colombia is trying to regain the high export position of players that it once had during the 90's. (RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Mongolian grand champion Hakuho, right, throws Estonian opponent Baruto down to win their bout at the New Year Grand Sumo tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena January 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) #

Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis falls into the crowd trying to save the ball against the New Jersey Nets in Boston January 14, 2009. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder) #

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, left, is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers Troy Polamalu during the NFL's AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh January 18, 2009. (REUTERS/Jeff Haynes) #

Policemen chase fans who had broken a security cordon during a cricket tournament at a stadium in Patna, India January 19, 2009. (REUTERS/Krishna Murari Kishan) #

The Cameron Crazies heckle Jason Clark of the Georgetown Hoyas during the Duke Blue Devils' 76-67 win on January 17, 2009 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) #

Dancers perform the 'Burning Ice Dance' during the opening gala at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki January 20, 2009. (REUTERS/Johannes Eisele) #

Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov of Russia perform during their Pairs Short Program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki, January 20, 2009. (REUTERS/Johannes Eisele) #

Sweden's Tobias Karlsson, right, and Kim Andersson try to stop South Korea's Lee Jaewoo during their Men's World Handball Championship preliminary Group B match in Split, Croatia January 18, 2009. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj) #

Inter Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, left, kicks the ball during their Italian Cup football match against AS Roma at San Siro Stadium in Milan January 21, 2009. (DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images) #

American speed skater Shani Davis competes in the men's 500m event at the World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Moscow January 17, 2009. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) #

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempts a steal from Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on January 19, 2009 in Los Angeles. (Harry How/Getty Images) #

Participants stretch after finishing the Mumbai Marathon, the city's first major public event since terror attacks last year, in Mumbai, India January 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade) #

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Welcome to Big Shots