A cameraman has been hailed as ‘more impressive’ than the athletes he is capturing on film.
We all know that the saying goes, the cameraman never gets hurt. If you’re ever in a perilous situation, start recording with your phone – it seems you can survive anything from avalanches to giant waves, and even volcanic eruptions.
However, it’s a precarious world when the person behind the camera is aware of the dangers too – imagine the kinds of antics they could get involved in or avoid.
One particular cameraman understands this well and displays remarkable courage.
While positioned at the head of the field to record a javelin throw event, he captured German track and field athlete Thomas Röhler participating in the Wanda Diamond League.
This footage dates back to May 2017 when Röhler was competing against fellow German athlete Johannes Vetter in Doha, Qatar.
Vetter achieved a score of 89m and seemed unbeatable, given that throws exceeding 90m are exceptionally rare.
But Röhler, who won the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics in the javelin throw, launched the spear to an impressive 93.90m.
Even more astonishing is that the cameraman, who nearly got hit by the spear, had sensibly moved back a few feet for safety before the competition began.
The video has since gone viral, especially after being shared on Twitter, where the cameraman received much praise.
One user commented: “It’s incredible how he just stood there doing his job as if nothing was at stake.”
Another joked: “No wonder it said ‘cameramen never die in wars.’ They are heroes.”
But the admiration didn’t stop there. Someone added: “Cameramen are the unsung heroes of the entertainment industry!”
The comments kept coming, with another person quipping: “I think he was aiming for that cameraman. Had a beef with him.
‘You didn’t shoot my throw yesterday. Go away. Take that. Missed.’
Meanwhile, one user was also impressed with the camera operator whose footage was used to capture their counterpart’s near-miss.
They said: “Which one?? The one who stood there as if a straight-up spear wasn’t coming straight at them or the one who caught its descent perfectly.”
Later, in an interview, Röhler mentioned that all camera operators are currently safe beyond the 100-meter mark, although he suggested it would be better if they moved back a few meters.
However, the 100-meter barrier was broken back in 1984, but since then, the javelin has been modified.