Olympics Photographer Risks Currents and Crap to Shoot Triathlon Event
An Olympics photographer has given a behind-the-scenes look at what it is like covering the triathlon swimming event from the River Seine for the 2024 Paris Games.
David Goldman who works for the Associated Press picture agency was forced to wait a day along with the athletes as Olympic organizers declared the Seine to be too dirty to compete in on Tuesday when the triathlon was scheduled to take place.
Fortunately, the event was able to take place yesterday and the Associated Press shared a video to its YouTube channel showing how Goldman covered the event which was won by Great Britain’s Alex Yee.
“It was very challenging. It was very different from how I’ve done it in the past,” says the photographer who has covered two previous Olympics from the open water.
Goldman also covers the marathon swim event which also means he has to be floating in the water shooting with a camera in protective housing.
“I know everybody was talking about the cleanliness of the water, I wasn’t so worried about that,” says Goldman.
“I was more worried about the current. This Seine River is a very fast-moving river and I think they were concerned that we might float away.”
To stop being swept to sea, Goldman brought with him a “longer set of fins” which gave him more power to kick with enabling him to stay in position better.
He also attached the water housing to his right hand with a leash so that if he let go it wouldn’t float away.
Goldman himself was also tethered to the dock with a safety guide standing nearby to oversee him.
“We had all those things going on and my left hand is being pulled by the dock, the current is taking me one way, I’m kicking furiously while trying to focus with the left hand and shoot with the right hand,” says Goldman.
The photographer says that he also attempts to take split-level photos where half the lens is below the water and half is above but he has to hold his breath and try not to swallow any river water.
It is certainly advised not to swallow any water from the Seine after days of concern over its safety. Athletes had been banned from swimming in it and the triathlon was almost turned into a duathlon after officials said levels of E. coli were too high in parts of the course.
Nevertheless, Goldman overcame all of those obstacles and captured some great photos.
