There's nothing quite like watching your favorite athletes train and compete. Watching others push themselves to the limits to win is incredibly exciting to witness, especially when you fully grasp the physical and mental challenges of doing so. Sports photographers are the ones who capture and tell the multifaceted stories of these athletes who are putting in the work to win championships, medals and more. This week we're featuring a group of sports photographers who are using their Sony Alpha systems to capture the grit and grace of those athletes we admire. Tag your own Sony photos on Instagram with #BeAlpha for your chance to be featured on AlphaUniverse.com. Also, be sure to give @sonyalpha a follow for your daily dose of creative inspiration.

This week we feature a group of sports photographers who use their Sony Alpha systems to capture the grit and grace of the athletes we admire.

Nick Didlick - @asportspro

Nick Didlick is a Vancouver, B.C.-based professional photographer and videographer. Much of his work revolves around the sports world, where he captures some of the most intense moments during and after the action. Through his images he's created a feed full of anticipation and full-on emotion that's inspiring and forms a connection with the viewer. He created this image using the Sony Alpha 9.

Trey Villarreal - @osnapmedia

Trey is a Texas-based photographer whose Instagram feed features a mix of portraits, wedding, surfing and skatebarding photography. Skateboarding is most of what you'll see, with many of his posts showcasing the sport and his admiration for it. As you scroll through his posts you will come across solid wide-angle shots that showcase the skills, focus and dedication of the skateboarders, all clearly and creatively with the Sony Alpha 7R IV.

Dave Holland - @davehollandpics

Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Dave Holland is a sports photographer working with elite amateur athletes. He is there to document all their training and hard work that goes into winning those future medals. Holland's Instagram offers you a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes, where you will find a lot of emotion and grit that reflects the athlete's daily journey. For an overall perspective of what it takes to be the best, give Dave Holland a follow.

Mine Kasapoglu -@minekasapoglu

Mine is a traveling sports and portrait photographer based in Istanbul. Her specialties include capturing swim, snowboard and alpine ski races, but you will find other sports mixed in her feed such as tennis, polo and rugby. All of her images are captured in a very personal and direct way that puts you as the viewer right there with the people she is photographing. You can almost feel the splash of the water or hear the sound of the ball making contact when looking at her work. If you want to feel part of the action, Mine is the one to follow. She created the photo below using the Sony Alpha 9.

Eliécer Aizprúa Banfield @dcerk

Eliécer Aizprúa Banfield is a sports photographer that has a knack for capturing captivating moments on the soccer field. Many of the images throughout his feed will leave you wanting to know more about that game and what happened next. His Instagram is full of these moments, making it a perfect account to follow if you are a fan of soccer and like to be caught up in all the action.

Adri Rubio Moreno - @adrumor

Adri Rubio Moreno is based in Madrid, Spain, where he is a sports and portrait photographer. One of the first things you will notice about his work is his approach and style. He primarily photographs boxing, but his style is a lot more intimate and clean than many photographers that focus on this sport. This may be due to his documentary style that is clear and minimalistic, with the focus directly on his subject that draws you into this world of boxing. He provides a different perspective to boxing without losing the sweat and intensity that comes from this sport.

Ryan Halvorsen - @ryancapture

Ryan Halvorsen is a sports photographer based in Thousand Oaks, CA that knows how to creatively capture those splashy moments of action during a water polo match. He puts you there in the water with the players and captures moments that you would miss in the blink of an eye, like in the image below. The players are at one edge of the frame and reaching for the ball, a moment that probably lasted a few seconds or even less. Halvorsen's ability to show the power and intensity of the moment through a single image is impressive. He took this shot with the Sony Alpha 9 and a Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G lens.