Gabriel Medina rides high in Olympic: Heavenly surfing shot wows netizens
Wed 31 Jul 2024TAHITI: Surfer Gabriel Medina gave Olympic viewers an unforgettable moment on a distant reef, 16,000km from Paris. On Monday, Medina rode a huge wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti, finishing with an airborne celebration that looked almost too perfect to be real.
The Brazilian surfer caught a powerful wave, emerged from a barreling section, and then soared into the air. He seemed to float on a cloud, pointing to the sky with a serene, almost biblical grace. His movements were perfectly mirrored by his surfboard, creating a stunning image.
This incredible moment was captured by Agence France-Presse photographer, Jerome Brouillet. Positioned on a nearby boat, he said, “The conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected.” When people first saw the photo, it was so precise that some thought it was altered with Photoshop or AI.
Brouillet explained, “Gabriel was at the back of the wave, and I couldn’t see him at first. Then he popped up, and I took four pictures, one of which was this one.” He mentioned that taking the photo wasn’t difficult; it was more about anticipating the right moment and where Medina would kick off the wave.
Brouillet’s experience and knowledge helped him capture this shot. He saw one of the best waves of the day approaching and knew that Medina often celebrates like this at the end of a wave.
“It’s a very cool shot, and lots of people love it,” Brouillet said. “It’s not just a surf photograph, so it catches the attention of more people.”
This image of Medina’s aerial celebration has become one of the most memorable moments of the Games, showing the beauty and excitement of surfing.
As Brouillet summed it up, “It’s not really a surf photograph, so it captures the attention of more people.” The shot not only highlights Medina’s skill but also showcases the stunning natural beauty of Teahupo’o and the thrill of Olympic surfing.
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