Previous news story Next news story

Usain Bolt captures the moment of his double-double Olympic triumph

Aug 10, 2012 at 23:40:07 GMT

OTHER NEWS LONDON-2012 OLYMPICS PHOTOGRAPHY USAIN-BOLT

Pin It

Print view

Moments after becoming the first man to win back-to-back Olympic 100m and 200m sprints, Jamaican runner Usain Bolt decided he wanted to capture the moment from his own perspective. The ever-ebullient sprinter grabbed a camera from Swedish photographer Jimmy Wixtröm and started snapping away - showing, in wide-angle, what it's like to be center of the press' attention. The BBC has put together a gallery, both of Bolt's images and those of the press corps' shots of one of athletics' great showmen.

Click here to see the BBC's slideshow

Minutes after winning the Olympic men's 200m sprint, Jamaica's Usain Bolt grabbed a camera from one of the trackside photographers and started snapping his own pictures (image: Francisco Leong/AFP)

Comments

Total comments: 114

He has taken the camera from the same photographer 3 or more times. What is more likely, Bolt knows what camera he is using and how it works and why it's better than Canon or..... He knows the guy and takes his camera which happens to be Nikon?

These brand wars... really!

Comment edited 60 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Yeah, but you got a little anti-Canon dig in there now didn't ya, lol.

4 upvotes

Before I even opened this article I knew for sure the comments would be full of sour, sour comments about the Olympics, the camera brand and whether he is paid for his action or not. Who cares if this is advertising, fixed, he a legend or not, Canon, Nikon, black or white.
It's just a cheeky action by a world known sportsman who likes to entertain. It's pretty funny if you ask me and it was really nice to see the "sportsmen view" for once.

5 upvotes

Well said! :)

0 upvotes

Looks like the cream waistcoat is standard issue for photographers ! I wonder if Jessops have them in XXL

0 upvotes

I am unable to see the gallery... I get thumbnails advertising other galleries, but not these pics. Tried on Chrome and IE.

0 upvotes

My plumber has a Nikon but that didn't influence my decision to get one.

2 upvotes

and your point is ?
unless your plumber is a champion plumber who wins a world record in plumbing competition, he might influence other plumber

7 upvotes

The point might be,that plumbing is marginally related to professional photography. The show seems it´s own producer.

0 upvotes

Most people know that Bolt isnt a photographer.. but, he is using a camera that was was used to photograph one of the 2 sprint finals at the highest level. Thats what people are tranferring.

0 upvotes

Abrasive Reducer, I'm not used to such comments from you. I know it's silly season, but surely you can do much better...

0 upvotes

quality of the fotos really produses a lot of laffin.
nikkon must enject some dope to this camera to perform beter in real laif situetions like this.

0 upvotes

his shots could use a bit less dof....

0 upvotes

In the photo where he catches the multiple photographers shooting him, only one has the presence of mind to put his camera down and smile :)

4 upvotes

According to this photos caption, the simley photographer does not have his wide angle camera with him... its being used by Bolt...

So all you can do is look and laugh LoL

5 upvotes

Isn't it their job to neither put down their camera nor smile?

0 upvotes

Sometimes you need to step outside the box of your job and smile

0 upvotes

Absolutely Eric, I spend as much of my life as possible outside my job and smiling. I just try not to do it while I've got an important job to do. :)

0 upvotes

No worries, Usain The Legend grabbed the Nikon DSLR, but Chuck Norris's walk-around lens is the 1200mm Canon f/5.6 L USM. And, btw: Usain Bolt isn't the fastest man in the World... "Who do you think gives mark for start and photographs the photofinish at the end?" Cheers! :)

0 upvotes

@jnk
I don't know if this will help promoting the product, but it is nice to get Usain's Bolt perspective even for only of these 10 frames

1 upvote

The best endorsement any company can ask of their products?

A star athlete giving his own personal endorsement without being "pay to do so".

2 upvotes

It's not like he has bought the camera and use it when he is out taking photos. According to the photographer Bolt is calling him a "stalker" and would probably use any camera he have. Still it is good PR of course.

2 upvotes

"A star athlete giving his own personal endorsement without being "pay to do so"."

You know it - directly and indirectly?

I know only that advertising and pr is all in sport. It is the way to wealth.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

This is the third time Bolt borrows the same camera from the same photographer. Here is an article about it for those who can read Swedish:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/os2012/article15239832.ab?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=650&width=850

1 upvote

Thank you, very interesting; chaps - please use Google translate! Cheers! :)

1 upvote

The athlete is fine, but the reality of this thread was shifted by Nikon fanboys.
There's no need for humility anyway; I can take it or leave it, but give me facts and I'll humbly thank you.

http://www.radiantlite.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/canon-sports-cameras-white-lenses.jpg

2 upvotes

He's allergic to white lens.

2 upvotes

@Mr. Maloy: yes, you are right. But have you heard about the triumph of humility? So far I have seen zero humility. Remember, legends are born, but few survive the time test. What you have here is the perfect (ultimate) athlete. My opinion. Cheers! :)

0 upvotes

I don't get any of this. I guess I don't get out of the house enough. Or maybe I don't look at enough television.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Nikon should sign something with this guy! Give him a couple of D4s, some lenses, and some millions of dollars and automatic global ads, bam.

0 upvotes

Usain boosting Nikon sales. There doesn't appear to be a Canon DSLR in sight.

0 upvotes

That's precisely the question: who Canon or Nikon won the cup of the ubiquitous O.G photo cover ? Nikon claims it knocked down every rivals but Canon doesn't agree at all as you can read in some japanese newspapers: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4

0 upvotes

Oh, my mistake ! The good link is this one (with my excuses) : http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201208090071

0 upvotes

as a handicap, he should take pictures of other fellow athletes behind him using the D4 during his olympic sprints

2 upvotes

Funny and not far from what will be in the future. I think in some years, every sportsmen will have to wear some gear including a micro-action-camera so spectators will be able to "feel inside" the action.

0 upvotes

I think this is PR. May be I will read dpr still more critically in future.

0 upvotes

I beg your pardon? We see some images with an interesting story behind them, from an event that much of the world is looking at, we don't name brands or talk about cameras and you conclude that it's PR?

I can personally assure you that no-one pitched this to us or suggested we run it. It's something interesting related to photography (as distinct from cameras), that's the only reason we covered it.

1 upvote

Now let the photographer rum the 100 meters is less than ...... sec's.

0 upvotes

He'a a bit of an attention *****, but he truly respects his fellow athletes, and his sport. It's difficult not to like him as an athlete, and human being.

http://brobuffet.com/2012/08/06/usain-bolt-olympic-champion-and-class-act/

Comment edited 10 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

I wouldn't mind giving the guy more praise if he wasn't such an arrogant jerk. How about showing a little humility while NOT trashing past track & field legends?

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

3 upvotes

I agree that he's a bit stuck on himself, but I don't know his history or culture, etc. If this is all he's got and it probably is, he's not likely very educated, etc. I brush it off as due in part to all that. Not that he couldn't be humble....but in reality athletes are arrogant.

1 upvote

That's true, recordmen and women of course are easily arrogant, but they offer the best of themselves to their fan because they have to deeply believe they are the world best this or that. And it happens they are.

That's the same for actors, if they were modests, they could not play any role. Anyway, let them all have their hour of glory, it's so ephemeral...

2 upvotes

Image 7 is such a keeper for the Swedish photog - photo taken by Bolt at a majorly historical sporting moment, with his camera, and he's in it, along with loads of colleagues, and it's decently composed - on the office wall i should think :)

4 upvotes

This article totally put back the human into gears.

I don't see anything wrong celebrating a brilliant shot. Bolt's bold move already makes this picture a legend, enough said.

Now let's see those DPR whiners go compete in 2016 Olympic for gold medals AND make a better shot, then post back here on DPR.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

5 upvotes

What is ironic is that someone like myself who has chosen NOT to make Usain Bolt their hero have instantly become some whining beer sucking mal-content. It's also ironic the ones who HAVE chosen Bolt as their hero are the ones who are thowing out the insulting language.

Geesh, people have differing opinions.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 56 seconds after posting

3 upvotes

To be accurate you said "Bolt is no legend", and added that what he's done is something that many others have already done.
That's quite different than saying that YOU prefer someone else - and btw what you said also false: no one else on earth has ever won 100 and 200 in two different Games...

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

3 upvotes

These posts, some of them, show that DPR has become a magnet for malcontents who lack civility and only want to tear down those who have gained recognition by making clever comments but the unintended result is to embarrass themselves along with this site.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

10 upvotes

Anything 'out of the ordinary' upsets closed minds...

0 upvotes

I could not have said it better. I think Bolt earned it so give it his time to shine.

2 upvotes

Well said, Tim!

dpreview isn't a site for professional photographers, only professional whiners.

0 upvotes

I guess this is a good argument for NOT taping your camera.

0 upvotes

What has this got to do with Digital Camera and accessories reviews??? Has this become NBC Sports review?

2 upvotes

...Nikon, jump on this and give this guy an endorsement!

2 upvotes

Like he was looking for a brand , he just grabbed a photographers camera. Maybe we should see what brand shoes he won with so we all could run fast.

Comment edited 33 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

What a bunch of whining about things that are not photography, on a website about photography. Instead of adding to the tumult, use the flag feature. OT and hate stuff needs to go. Flag it.

0 upvotes

Lol @ the disrespectful comments.
Apparently this guy only wants to have fun and have sxxxxxxx (Hope he's not the world's fastest in this regard :D)

0 upvotes

These pictures are truly fabulous as they convey a good portion of the joy and excitement of the moment, witness the action on the spot. Watching them gives one the feel to be part of it all. I wish there would be more. What an idea of Bolt to do that! My hero!

Discussing camera equipment - I feel that most cameras would have done a similar job, as really the action in this picture is the value of this picture - comparing the performance and personalities of diverse athletes, is rather distracting, disturbing, and tells much about the qualities of the author of such comments.

At times there is evidence of a huge lack of civility demonstrated by members of this forum while judging the greatness of others.

Just enjoy the moment. That is what photography is all about.

Chimere

8 upvotes

And just hours later , the camera that he took foto has 20.000 dollars value :D I would sell IT NOW !!!

0 upvotes

He shows great technique with a fantastic camera and lens combo. He gets low with the 14-24 which makes the world look very cool. A magnificent camera and lens in the hands of someone who whether others like it or not is now a living legend. Bolt will be talked about in 50 years.

2 upvotes

self parise is no praise .

3 upvotes

Usain Bolt is NO LEGEND. Michael Phelps would more likely be called a Legend. He's earned I think 16 Gold and over 20+ medals in 3 Olympics from the 100m, 200m to 400m with mulitple strokes. And he has Gold 3-peated in at least 2 events. When Bolt Gold medals in the 100, 200, and at least medals in the 400, and throw in a hurdle event, in 3 Olympics, then he will have just equalled Phelps. Bolts has only doubled in 2 events and now has a paltry 6 medals. I'm really no fan of swimming or Phelps but the standard he's set will take awhile to surpass and you can't deny him that.

Bolt is a character which is good for Sports advertising, but I'm still wondering want this has to do with reviewing digital photography here on DPR.

Comment edited 8 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Maybe they should make 50m, 150m, 250, 350m, and why not in all types of swiming, and combined, and free style, so mr. Phelps coud earn some more medals. He is a great swimmer, the best there ever was, but olympics were really always about athletics, and Bolt is THE LEGEND.

23 upvotes

Ivanmaker:

So now swimmers, boxers, basketball players, weight lifters, etc., aren't athletes? Since the first and only Olympic event was the marathon I guess the sprinters, hurdlers, field events aren't athletes either. Not sure how Bolt would qualify as a Sports Legend is he's not an athlete. Oh well...

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

1 upvote

phelps is a great athlete and won a lot of golds...

but the 100 meter race is the the most important single event in the olympics ...bold won this race twice..and then he won twice in the 200 meter..thats why he is a legeend...
beside that he is very charesmatic and entertaining...

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

7 upvotes

I think it´s ridiculous to say that Mr. Phelps is better. Usain Bolt competes in 100m and 200m and probably in relay also. Mr. Phelps as made in the olympics more events than I can count. We have 50, 100, 200, 400, and with 4 different strokes!!! It´s ridiculous.

Maybe we should create the 70m, 80m, 90m and maybe 110m and 120m and up to 200m in 10m increments so that Usain could take home 10 medals. We could also include running normal, running backwards, running with one foot only...

17 upvotes

Stollen:

Maybe to you, the 100 meter is the most important.

Who wins the 100 meter is supposedly the fastest human, I get that. But in reality all he did was break a record. There have already been at least 20 records broken at these Olympics and some of them doubles. You wanna buy the hype and call him a legend, thats cool. But in reality the best athlete in the Olympics is the Decathlon winner. There have been a few back to back decathalon winners but none of them have called themselves legends. The decathalon winner best athlete is a standard that most all track athletes have adopted.

But yeah the glamour and the hype is the sprints, so Bolt is a legend in his own mind and the media of course.
If he comes back in 2016 and wins both the 100 and 200 again, I'll consider calling him a legend. But by then I imagine there will be someone else hotter, faster and more appealing for the15- 25 year olds of the World.

Usain Bolt is a great sprinter, thats it!!!

1 upvote

@Stollen

``But in reality the best athlete in the Olympics is the Decathlon winner``

I could not agree more with you on this one.

``So now swimmers, boxers, basketball players, weight lifters, etc., aren't athletes?``

They are sportsmen in my language. Athlete more narrow definition, and sprinter is even more.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Fernandobot:

Why is it rediculous to say that someone who has won 16 Golds over 8 years is more of a Legend at the Olympics than someone who has one 5?...

1 upvote

Ivanmaker:

Since this site is in the United States AND you list yourself as being in/from the United States how about we go by the simple English defintion of a athlete:

somebody with athletic ability: somebody with the abilities to participate in physical exercise, especially in competitive games and races

Being a sprinter doesn't make one more of an athlete. It might make them cooler to you, but I can promise you that everyone at the Olympics considers themselves athletes. For you to say otherwise is prejudicial.

Thats it for me.

Comment edited 55 seconds after posting

1 upvote

If Bolt had been a swimmer instead of a sprinter, who is to say he won't be better than Phelps?

0 upvotes

What a ridiculous discussion, especially since this is a photography forum.

2 upvotes

Swimming and athletics just aren't comparable in this way. The fact of the matter is it is easier to win 16 gold medals swimming than it is running. In swimming, with four different strokes and less difference in the body type advantages for different distances, one person can compete reasonably well in a number of different races. A 100m runner has a very different body type than a middle distance runner, let alone a long distance runner.

Phelps is amazing. No one is arguing that. But if Phelps was amazing for beating Spitz's record of 7 golds with 8 in one Olympics, why isn't Bolt also amazing for being the first sprinter to ever win the 100 and 200 in consecutive olympics?

1 upvote

People are land animals and do not typically live in the water. As such, running is an activity closer to most of us than swimming. I'd hazard a guess that Mr Phelps probably has walked and run more than he has swam in his life. Short distance running produces the highest unassisted travel speeds of humans on dry land using a mode of locomotion which most people are capable of, and as a result, the 100 and especially 200 m races are glamourized.

0 upvotes

Larry Winters

again the 100 meter is the most important event..not according to me..accodring to the numbers of people watching this event..and the avg ticket was 400 pound which is the most expesive avg ticket in this olympic game..if these statistics are not enought for you..i am not sure what to say...

but you have the right to cosider that bold is only a great sprinter but to the rest of US he is Legend..

by the way tonght he won the 4x100 race in a WR

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Make 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m in "Running Backwards", "Running with hands tied behind back", "Running like a retard" and etc. and see how many more medals Bolt will win.

Swimming is a joke. There should be ONE gold medal for a best swimmer.

4 upvotes

Dear mr Winters,
Bolt is by far the most popular and acclaimed sportsman in the world, and 100 meters is by far the most important and followed event in each edition of the Olympic Games.
Your overreaction reveals that you feel Bolt victories as your personal losses, and also that you don't know know how to loose.
I cannot avoid to feel sorry for you.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

@Extract0r LOL I wanted to reply similar stuff when saw this guy's comment. Yea let make more running style..
"50m, 100m, 200m, 400m in "Running Backwards", "Running with hands tied behind back", "Running like a retard" and etc"

0 upvotes

This was the third time Bolt uses Jimmy's cam, so they kind of know each other.

It's a cool this to do of Bolt, he's an entertainer.

5 upvotes

Not the first time Bolt borrow a camera from the same Swedish photographer. Here is more pics:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/bildspel/article13572086.ab

4 upvotes

which makes me think this is all not a "mere" coincidence

0 upvotes

So it's not a coincidence. I feel better knowing he took the camera from someone he knew, someone who wouldn't mind. Grabbing it from a stranger would have been obnoxious. He was just having a little fun. He's like that. And certainly a legend, though I hold Phelps in higher regard.

1 upvote

The fastest man in the world with the fastest camera!

2 upvotes

14 fps with 1dx
10 fps with d4

d4 is no the fastest.

0 upvotes

60 fps = Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1
14 fps = Canon 1Dx
10 fps = Nikon D4

Neither Canon nor Nikon is the fastest :) and the Casio was introduced in the market 4 years ago.

Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1 : http://www.dpreview.com/news/2008/1/6/casiof1

Comment edited 60 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

D4 is not the fastest camera, that is Nikon J1/V1 - up to 1200 fps in slow motion mode :-) - otherwise they can shoot 60 fps.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1 can also do 1200fps in video mode. But what can you get from 1200fps but only 320x120 pixel image from J1V1? LOL. Disregarding the video mode, nothing beats the Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1 with 60fps burst on a still camera.

0 upvotes

DPRchallenger,

how about the Nikon 1 series that shoots 60fps RAW?

0 upvotes

Jon Rty,
the Nikon 1 shoots 60fps for only 1/2second (30pictures max).
The Exilim also shoots RAW at 60fps, but for a full second (60pictures max).

1 upvote

The 1Dx is the fastest some of the time, depending on definition. In some circumstances, it's slower than the D3: http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/1d-x.htm#fps

0 upvotes

We are talking about SLR nere, and neigher Nikon 1 or Casio are SLR.

with those tiny sensors no wonder they are faster.

0 upvotes

I think the reason why he grabbed the camera is he finally got tired of photographers taking all those photos of him....that he felt its time he helped himself do express his own photos....and why not?

1 upvote

go Nikon

3 upvotes

P mode

1 upvote

In both cases as runner and photographer it's Usain Bolt @ Auto Pilot.

Comment edited 18 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

He is very good with that camera I have to say. I think all of us have OOF pictures taking by friends or helpful strangers that don't know how to use a big camera.

3 upvotes

Crazy, man. Crazy.

0 upvotes

Awesome.

2 upvotes

Looking forward to an article on how to prepare to take this kind of shot :p Truly amazing.

0 upvotes

The best Nikon advertisement ever.
And very good lens chosen.

10 upvotes

This is actually the third time Bolt has done this. And all three times with the same photographer. It has apparently become somekind of thing the two of them have.

1 upvote

is 16-35VR or 17-35 was used?

0 upvotes

Where's the photo of himself when he first grabbed the camera with both hands and aimed it at himself ... it was still under control of the owner ... as seen on TV ?

Comment edited 50 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Total comments: 114


Nikon 800mm F5.6 at the Olympics - Leon Neal's First Impressions Aug 4, 2012	Dan Chung live blogs from the Olympics with iPhone and Snapseed Aug 1, 2012	8K video and gigapan images show the Olympics in high resolution Aug 1, 2012	Sigma UK launches Olympics-themed photo competition Jul 24, 2012

	Pentax Efina Jun 3, 2013
	Olympus PEN E-P5 May 10, 2013
	Samsung NX2000 May 1, 2013
	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V Apr 24, 2013
	Panasonic Lumix DMC-G6 Apr 24, 2013
	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 Apr 24, 2013
	Ricoh GR Apr 17, 2013
	Samsung NX1100 Apr 11, 2013
	Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6 Apr 9, 2013
	Fujifilm FinePix S8400W Mar 22, 2013
	Fujifilm FinePix XP200 Mar 22, 2013

Considering switch from Nikon, to replace D700 ...	150
Sobering Sales Numbers for Mirrorless	150
Hmmm AF fine tuning : Bullsh#t	79
New Pentax K-50 leaked	77
Praise the Macro Lenses. Post your best macros ...	52
Mirrorless & DSLR Jan-April shipment & ...	43
How to turn my Canon PowerShot S3 IS into a ...	42
Thom Hogan: DSLRs going obsolete	41
Sigma 60/2.8... sigma be damned (for its ...	41
K5(II) SD Card Door Coming Open	40
Help me create the best 6D system on a $3500 ...	39
Still no signs of an Olympus f2.8 zoom?	39
Selecting Camera	39
electronic first curtain shutter - on or off?	37
USPS... The worst mail servie in the world	34
micro 4/3s , Owls IF	32
Done Deal - Switched to Fuji XE-1 from ...	32
What's Happening to Sony Stores?	31
Focal reducers, why complexity for the sake of ...	30
Replacing Olympus OM-D with Fuji XE-1 or Xpro-1	30

Your email address:
Your name: