pictureEvery four years, a few lucky photographers covering the Olympics go home knowing they've got the perfect shot. On the third day, French photographer Jérôme Brouillet got it: His image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina hovering over the ocean and giving the number 1 sign has instantly become the iconic victory image for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Speaking to TIME, Brouillet said he was surprised at how much attention Medina's photos have garnered, explaining that there are two media boats shooting surfing competitions off the coast of French Tahiti, and “in all fairness, it's not that hard to get good surfing photos at Te Aupo, as long as the waves are good and you know how to take pictures.”
Brouillet stresses that all cameramen on the scene were shooting in “bursts,” taking more than 20 images per second, so it's highly likely he took a few at the exact same time as the others were capturing the moment. Brouillet estimates he took four images of Medina in the air and quickly realized this one was the best, but he says it was a “team effort,” and attributes the global response to the image to AFP editors who recognised the now-viral image as something extraordinary and quickly shared it with the world.
Brouillet knows the waters of Te Aupo well, having moved to Tahiti from Marseille about 10 years ago after falling in love with the region while on holiday with a girlfriend. He has worked for AFP for several years, leading the build-up to the 2024 Olympics and was on board its main media boat on July 29.
Brouillet is a surfer himself, but even the small waves at Te Aupo are dangerous for him. “I don't feel like taking any risks,” he says. He's much more comfortable aboard the media boat, taking chances and using his camera to help capture the Olympic spirit.
