Sport Finalist

For many years the photographer has attended sighthound training sessions. Many of the sighthounds are former racing dogs that have been adopted by private owners and families in order to give them a happy post-racing life. However, even after retirement they are still athletes that need to run and chase on a daily basis. At this private track, an artificial rabbit is pulled by wire along the track, allowing the dogs to run alone or in small groups. At the end of the track there is a soft sandbox where they can grab the fake rabbit — this is the photographer’s favourite moment to photograph these magnificent and gentle creatures.

Rob Van Thienen (b. 1964) is a Belgium-based photographer who is always in search of dynamic images that reveal every detail of the action. Recently retired, Rob now hopes to devote more time to sports photography.