Agony, ecstasy and that iconic photo: 20 of our favourite pictures from the Paris Games
20 ImagesThese are the incredible images from the 2024 Olympics – and the moving stories behind them – as selected by this masthead’s photographers and editors.
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: Chinese gymnast Ou Yushan on the balance beam. I shot this from a low angle with a clean background. I have turned the image upside down so it looks as if she’s climbing rather than jumping. I like this image because of the timing; her feet and hands are almost touching the light.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: This image shows the dome of the Grand Palais at night in all its glory. The visual backdrop for the fencers is stunning.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: We’re in Paris. I don’t think we can do without a picture of the Eiffel Tower. For this one, I had to stay in my position aligned with the beach volleyball net. I started standing there in the sun from about 6.30pm, and this was taken at 9.15pm as the sun set behind the tower. Covering the Olympics is all about position. You can’t afford to get there late.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: Egyptian fencer Mohamed Amer is so animated in defeat. His opponent Italian Luigi Samele reaches to help him up. Afterwards, the referee had to ask Amer to leave the arena.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: I shot this from a long distance, so the archers look tiny in the foreground of the Grand Palais. It shows one of the distinctive Paris venues for the Games.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: The purple track. This was a heat of the women’s 200m and the light during the day on the track looks completely different from at night. I shot it a lot wider than usual because I wanted to show the full track. It’s all about light and shade.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: Jess Fox as she crosses the finish line to win her second gold medal of the Games. It shows the emotion of that moment. I was standing behind the finish line and as usual, there were 40 or 50 of photographers waiting. It was extremely hot and humid.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: I was at the men’s pole vault final on the other side of the stadium. This is before the start of the 200m semi-final and Noah Lyles did this jump only once.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: The winner of the men’s 400m, Quincy Hall, draped in the American flag. This is pretty much the only picture I have of a gold medallist with no one else in the frame. Usually there are camera operators everywhere. It’s very annoying!Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: British diver Lois Toulson in the women’s 10m platform. I just like the splash. Photographers are always looking for this kind of plain background. The light behind her, it looks a bit like a shot set up in a studio.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: This was Mondo Duplantis’ very last attempt at the world record. The whole stadium was waiting, looking at him, and it was quiet for a few seconds. As he went over the bar, the noise was unbelievable.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Eddie Jim, photographer, The Age: Opals basketballer Ezi Magbegor during the quarter-final against Serbia. I just like the movement of her hair.Credit:Eddie Jim
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Paul Rovere, Deputy Picture Editor, The Age: This is not only the best photo from the Paris Olympics, it’s one of the best photos of the year. Arguably one of the best surfing photos of all time. Jerome Brouillet’s capture of Gabriel Medina’s triumphant celebration could only be topped if the Brazilian surfer’s arms were outstretched like Christ the Redeemer. Credit:Jerome Brouillet/AFP
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Paul Rovere, Deputy Picture Editor, The Age: I can’t decide if I love this photo because it reminds me of Nirvana’s iconic Nevermind album cover or if it’s simply due to the fact I can relate to French diver Jules Bouyer’s unorthodox entry. Either way, this photo, taken with an underwater robotic camera, achieves what every photographer is aiming for – to find a new way to see the world. Credit:Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
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Ben Coady, Sports Editor, Sydney Morning Herald: Wyatt Sanford of Team Canada is punched by Ruslan Abdullaev of Team Uzbekistan during the men’s 63.5kg preliminary round bout. More than 10,000 athletes competed in Paris and the vast majority suffer the anguish of defeat. However, few suffer both the mental and physical pain of the boxers, who put their egos and bodies on the line for a shot at glory.Credit:Richard Pelham/Getty Images
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April Lombardo, Picture Desk Editor, The Age: It’s not just the simple and effective composition but also the feeling it evokes. Photographer Justin Setterfield has captured a heartwrenching moment in time for British hurdler Lina Nielsen – all her Olympic hopes dashed after years of preparation. It’s as though we can “hear” the silence and feel her pain.Credit:Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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Chloe Saltau, Sports Editor, The Age: This shot from the finish of the men’s 100m captures the chaos and absolute effort of that moment – arms and legs everywhere, each athlete straining for the line. The angle, showing the lights and crowd at a packed Stade de France, also gives a sense of the Hollywood atmosphere for the glamour event of the Games. Good luck picking a winner (it was Noah Lyles by five thousandths of a second).Credit:Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
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Melissa Coulter Ryan, Deputy Sport Editor, The Age: Elation captured in one exquisite, emotional moment. Jess Fox is an Olympic legend, and a colossus in kayaking and canoeing, but here she is a big sister, celebrating the gold medal of her younger sister Noemie in the kayak cross. It’s a lightning-quick capture of one of the most joyous moments of Paris 2024.Credit:AP
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Luke Hemer, Picture Desk Editor, The Age: The much-discussed water of the Seine creates a watercolour-like texture in David Goldman’s photograph of the women’s individual triathlon. Credit:David Goldman/AP
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Luke Hemer, Picture Desk Editor, The Age: Hector Vivas uses photography and digital artistry to tell the story of the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final. This is my favourite image of Vivas’ “Layers of the Games” series, where he uses multiple moments from a fixed camera to tell the story of the games.Credit:Hector Vivas/Getty Images
