Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina captured the world's attention during his participation in the Olympic Games when a seemingly mythical photo of him was taken amidst the waves. The athlete appeared to be flying in the air against gravity, waving his hand in a fantastical scene, leading to millions of views on social media platforms to date. Gabriel soared above the waves, pointing one finger to the sky, while his surfboard was seen next to him, seemingly also pointing to the sky.
The photo was captured by AFP photographer Jérôme Bruet during Medina's competition against Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi. The Brazilian athlete scored a 9.90, the highest score in Olympic history for this sport, celebrating this stunt as he advanced to the quarterfinals during the third round, achieving the best result in the Olympics so far.
Bruet commented on the photo via his Facebook account, saying, "I like to say that taking pictures is a bit like surfing. It’s a mix of preparation, dedication, timing, some experience, and a touch of luck." He added, "It wasn't hard to take the photo. The waves were higher than we expected, and it was more about anticipating the moment and the place where Gabriel would kick the wave."
Bruet noted, "Medina is doing something. You know something is going to happen. The only tricky moment is where he will come out." He pointed out that "sometimes he performs a trick, and this time he did, so I pressed the button."
The surfing competition took place on the island of Tahiti, 16,000 kilometers away from Paris, which is hosting the summer Olympics. The photographer spoke about that moment, saying, "I took 4 shots of him as he came out of the water, and this photo was one of them."
The image was utilized by media outlets around the world and has been shared or liked millions of times online.
