AN ARTLETS alumna and former photographer for The Flame clinched a special merit citation in the 2026 World Sports Photography Awards, a prestigious contest spanning 123 countries.
Rio Leonelle Deluvio was recognized in the “gymnastics” category for her photo of an athlete hanging during a stunt as she is symmetrically framed between two bars.
The competition, which was launched in 2020, has 24 sports-related categories and recognizes entries through gold, silver, bronze, and special merit citations.
This year’s edition attracted over 23,100 submissions from 4,100 photographers worldwide, making it its largest yet.
Before graduating from the UST English Language Studies program in 2015, Deluvio had a one-year stint in the photography section of The Flame, the official publication of the Faculty of Arts and Letters.
Deluvio also studied for a Bachelor of Music in Performance, major in guitar, at the UST Conservatory of Music from 2011 to 2012.
In 2023, she obtained a diploma in Visual Journalism from the Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University.
The Artlets graduate now works as a sports photojournalist at The Manila Times, covering a wide array of collegiate and national sporting events.
The 2026 World Sports Photography Awards’ international panel of judges consisted of industry experts in sports, media, brands and photography. F
