AFP photographer Jerome Brouillet has taken a picture of Gabriel Medina, a Brazilian Olympic surfer, riding an incredible wave in Tahiti and it has become a viral sensation and perhaps the defining image of both the sport and the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
Gabriel Medina was captured by Brouillet as he left the wave after achieving his highest score ever in Olympics.
The photo shows Medina leaping onto dry land, pointing to the sky with one hand. While holding his surfboard in the other, which is an expression of pure triumph.
Brouillet had positioned himself strategically in the channel that allowed him to wait for Gabriel Medina as he ‘kicked out,’ or exited, from in front of him at the end. This location was perfect for shooting this climax because even though he couldn’t see what happened first. Brouillet remembers:
“It’s all photographers waiting for that. You know Gabriel Medina that particularly at Teahupo would kick off and do something. You know something will happen. The only moment who can be tricky is where he’s going to kick out? Because I’m blind! Sometimes he makes some kind of acrobatic gesture like here where I pushed on my button.”
In tube there, I think when you are inside it you feel that you are going through biggest waves of day.? Is jumping out of water like ‘man, I believe it is ten.’??
However great was this shot Brouillet remained cautious “When I shoot at Teahupo’o I don’t shoot with high burst mode like this. Because at the end if you push too much on your button you come back with 5 thousand shots a day and me i don’t like that! Of him outside water, four pictures including one among these?”
It became an internet hit used by various publications worldwide and shared millions of times online. au media conglomerate called it ‘the greatest sports photo ever,’ while TIME magazine named it ‘the defining image of triumph of the 2024 Summer Games.’
Gabriel Medina himself shared the photo on his Instagram account, and it has garnered over 2.4 million likes in rapid succession. Brouillet remained focused on his work despite the overwhelming response and accolades “I’m staying at a friend’s house close to Teahupo’o tonight. And we’ll have an early night because if tomorrow’s event is on I have to wake up at five o’clock!”
Paris Olympics 2024 also produced another viral photograph featuring tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz; representing Spain both playing for the same side with one being a veteran while other is future star.
