The flurry of action, drama, and glory that accompanies an Olympic Games can, on very special occasions, be captured as moments in time by a skilled camera operator.
We suppose luck is also involved, but let's celebrate the skill, people.
And sometimes the photo is better than the occasion!
Here are our favorite images of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Best surfing photo ever? Gabriel Medina is No. 1
Gabriel Medina's 9.90 ride on the waves of Teahupo'o was epic and unprecedented.... but photographer Jerome Brouillet had a plan to get this incredible photo.
All-Black podium photo: Biles, Chiles, give Andrade her flowers
We are confident you've seen this photo, but just in case you were in a timeloop or something...
Wow.
If "synchronized gymnastic celebrations" becomes a thing, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles have clearly shown capable. Here's their celebration of Rebeca Andrade at an all-Black podium.
"First off, it was an all-Black podium. Second off, why don't we just give her her flowers?" Chiles said after the competition. "Not only has she given Simone her flowers, but a lot of us in the United States. So giving it back it what makes it so beautiful. I felt like it was needed."
Teddy Riner is a force of nature
Few things will top the lottery held ahead of the final act in Teddy Riner's and France's judo mixed team title, but this photo of Riner and a completely airborne Kim Min-Jong is close.
Happy horsey: MGH Grafton Street mugs for the camera
The caption says it all. We can't prove that MGH Grafton Street knew he was cheesin' for the camera with Yoshiaki Oiwa, but you can't prove he did not. It's mystical if you let it be so.
Flying Kayaks would be a good band name
This was a heat, not the final, but when you get a photo that looks like Harry Potter brought Quidditch to kayaks, you've got a winner.
Zheng Qinwen decidedly not upset with her upset win
Zheng Qinwen's run to gold in women's singles floored her en route to the podium. That's a great capture of the wide range of emotions that combine to deliver euphoria.
'Til deadball do they part: China's Olympic marriage proposal
Nothing says forever like badminton, and China's social media team gave us a birdie's eye view of a well-executed marriage proposal; Chinese badminton player Liu Yuchen asked his partner Huang Yaqiong if she wanted a ring and a husband to go with her gold medal. She appears pleased.
Skateboarding lends itself to aerial visuals. So does Paris.
American skateboarder Tom Schaar is part of a righteous photo.
Doubles delight: Andy Murray and Dan Evans advance in style
Andy Murray didn't win gold in men's doubles tennis, but this photo with partner Dan Evans in synchro celly is fantastic.
Almost certainly the first Olympian with a ball for a head
Two big reasons for Ryan Murphy to celebrate
It takes a lot to take any of the spotlight away from winning a bronze medal, but Ryan Murphy's wife Bridget Konttinen made sure their baby could one day look back on the occasion as a big moment in their family's journey.
Scene-stealing whale hits surfing semis in Tahiti
This impolite whale just couldn't let two surfers — Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb and Costa Rica's Brisa Hennessy — keep the attention for themselves during the women's surfing semifnals. Weston-Webb won silver, while Hennessy finished fourth.
Marta crushed at her (fortunately not) international career-ending red card
Perhaps the most-celebrated women's soccer player of all-time — if not, she's second to Mia Hamm — Marta thought she might've seen her last tournament for Brazil end with a red card for a reckless clearing attempt. Fortunately for Marta, and her country, Brazil upset France in the quarterfinals, giving her a chance to return from her two-match suspension in the gold medal match.
What happens under the water in artistic swimming
