In this compilation of visuals, you’ll see more than just timely captured physical feats by professional athletes and celebrities. Through sheer determination, skill, and mental fortitude when performing under pressure before expectant crowds, these performers are able to rise above the ordinary, transforming themselves into godlike figures, if even for a slippery nanosecond.
Beyond the edges of human physicality, framed too, are the divine flashes of the human spirit. These are pictures of sportsmen and women that, when viewed in hindsight, surprise even the performers themselves.
In all their fluidity of action, their physical and geometric potential limits are captured for all eternity!
Michelle Obama’s Advocacy Against Child Obesity
Those who know little about her background might think the former first lady of the United States was an athlete upon glancing at her broad shoulders and solid posture, even at 58. However, she never competed in sports as a student. But she does maintain her figure by eating healthy and exercising.
The camera captured Michelle Obama’s awkward tennis forehand at an angle that makes her appear as though she were a fencer ready to lunge. But the only thing she was fighting against here was child obesity during the “Let’s Move” campaign.
James Dunks It
NBA fans sometimes unfairly accuse LeBron James of trying too hard to be like the GOAT, Michael Jordan. This is exacerbated by his repeated claims of being the best basketball player in the world. Statements like this have increased his publicity over the years, leaving him very little privacy at any given moment.
Eyes follow him wherever he goes. Cameras anticipate a shoulder fake, a fadeaway jump shot, a Jordanesque weaving on defense. Even on the sidelines, his movements are put under the microscope. Here he is laying out a dunk—just not the kind of dunk you’d expect.
Facing the Man in the Mirror
World champion wakeboarder Shaun Murray is seen here gliding smoothly, pulled by the irresistible traction of the boat. Leaning against the skin of the water, he is inches away from a disgraceful plunge into the waves.
As he searches deep into the mirroring water, could he be reflecting on his early days? Perhaps he is looking back on his time in ‘88 when he took up his first board at eight years old. Or is he examining a parallel universe beneath the water, his other self looking back?
Beast Mode
Here’s Canadian weightlifter Marie-Julie Malboeuf with 58kg of weight during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. Inside the Clyde Auditorium Malboeuf, competitors from countries worldwide exhibit their strength and skills before endless crowds, drawing oohs and aahs that no doubt continue to enhance their pride.
When her name was called, she activated beast mode; a moment captured here by sensitive lenses: her face is fully covered with hair, and her stance is like that of a wild animal ready to tackle a contender.
A Major Trip
In what was supposed to be a moment of glorious ascension to the top of the tri-level podium ends in disaster following a major trip down the rubberized track. Years of hard work ended not with a reward but with a fall. Such is the nature of competitive sports.
And all the crowd ever remembers afterward is the comical blunder—how he hit the hurdle with his pan—how his body contorted like a ragdoll. The crowd can’t help but laugh and cry at the same time over such a tragedy.
Hit by a Curveball
This photograph of Rickie Weeks being hit in the chin with a baseball, utterly bushwhacked, reminds us that we’ll never really know what life might throw at us at any given moment. Like unexpected bad news, he simply didn’t see it coming.
This snapshot is so perfectly timed that the ball appears to be nestled snugly between his left shoulder and chin, rumpling his whole face. This picture shows a very different Rickie Weeks than the one selected as the “Sexiest Baseball Player” in 2009 by Cosmopolitan magazine.
The Headless Gymnast
Sports photography is consistently coming up with interesting snapshots. With a combination of expertise, a little luck, and the effort of a high-speed shutter, which bursts as fast as a machine gun’s rapid-fire, the fleeting movement of the subject is captured for all to see.
A specter of sorts has been made out of this leaping gymnast. It is an image of beauty and pain brought about by the gymnast’s warped form. It evokes the imagined sensation of the performer’s joints bending, creaking, and cracking as her body is bent to its limit.
Hand-Picked
It’s not the most hygienic thought, but it’s clear that everybody has picked their nose at one point or another—even in the public eye. Here, American quarterback Darron Thomas walks down the field after a rough day, defeated by Auburn, casually picking out a booger.
He probably forgot that the cameras were out there on the field, recording every little gesture. Maybe he couldn’t find it in him to care anymore, or perhaps he simply gave in to an old compulsion or habit.
All Tapped Out
The wrestler in the blue uniform decides that it’s time to submit after the wrestler in red attempts to roll his opponent over, belly up, possibly breaking his neck in the process. The blue competitor seems to be waving his hand as if in some kind of final farewell.
From the looks of it, a second more and some serious damage would have been done. It must have been a tense moment. The blue wrestler’s head looks like it’s about to pop off. If we were there, we’d be screaming for somebody to help him.
Wild Surf
A boogie boarder is caught on camera, ready to be swallowed by the maw of a monstrous wave. The surfer looks insignificant against the size and strength of the oncoming current. As the hurricane draws nearer to the coast, thrill-seekers flock close to the shore for some surfing action instead of running home for safety.
They seem to delight at the sight of surfboards being split into half, swimmers being flicked like dirt into the air, and other surfers being dumped onto the shallow shore. The wave must carry one heck of a thrill.
Skating as One
To be able to skate like this, both performers must abandon the very concept of individual skating. In this photograph, one appears as a rider, the other a human sled—but there’s no telling for sure which one is which. In order to do this, both skaters must think alike and act as one.
They must be aware of each other’s tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths. This training goes beyond the physical—they must be there for each other, both on good and bad days. They must work on their timing to become one, going beyond the individual skaters they used to be.
Kung Football
The second Zoltan Mesko of the New England Patriots kicked the ball, an overly eager Everson Griffin, defensive end player for the Minnesota Vikings, spun and attempted to sack the punter. Mesko hadn’t even landed on the ground before hitting two birds with one stone.
Griffin was stopped by Mesko’s foot being plugged directly into his face. It’s a photo that has definitely attracted attention from football fans. What it might represent is undoubtedly up for interpretation. Should this be a symbol of tenacity or moderation? You decide.
Clowning Around
The bull pulls a face that says it is not amused with his rider’s antics. The rodeo clown tumbles away from the beast. The crowd loves it, but the job of a rodeo clown is no laughing matter—don’t be fooled by the makeup and gaudy clothing.
Riders are dependent on their clothing to keep them safe when they fall or jump off. They use speed and anticipation when distracting the animal, shifting the danger towards the cloth as the rider escapes back to the pen. It’s a life and death affair.
Unprotected Climbing
Alex Honnold climbs a wall close to 3,000 feet without any protective gear to save him if he slips. No harnesses or ropes allow him a second attempt at El Capitan or the Red Rock Canyon. Nothing to catch him, nothing to allow him to learn from a mistake and re-study the route up and make the proper adjustments.
The only place a free solo climber gets to resume his ascent if he commits a blunder and falls is the afterlife, assuming they land far beyond the mountaintop, in heaven, or whatever other place waits after the final fall.
In Over His Head
Titus Bramble uses his head to control the ball, although it seems that the ball is dominating him in this photograph, knocking his head down into his neck with its weight. It might look comical but performing a header, despite being a necessary skill in soccer, can have long-term effects on players.
It is a common cause of concussion, and the brain injury might not manifest itself right away. Bramble doesn’t look like he’s having an easy time heading the ball in a specific direction. But who knows? A split second later, this ball might be barrelling towards a goal.
Far-Flung Cowboy
This photographer was paying close attention to the crucial eight seconds in which a cowboy attempted to ride a raging bull at its most furious and was rewarded with this violent image of a rider being tossed out onto the wind like a weightless, insignificant thing.
It’s funny how the rider seems perfectly poised, with his hat still on his head, except for the fact that he has been turned upside down—as if he were photoshopped in. But this is real, all right, and competitors like him can get fatally hurt in a bull ring.
Chop Down
Despite the league’s imposition of fines and penalties for all instances, fighting has become an unwritten part of ice hockey. With close to seven hundred fights in a single season in the NHL from 2000 to 2010, the fans might at this point expect a brawl in every game.
That is if the fans themselves aren’t involved in it themselves. Here’s a snapshot of two hockey players really going at it, framed at the right moment after the player in red had ducked his head, which now appears invisible under his helmet as if it had been chopped off with a left hook.
High Impact Punch
Former IBF Super Middleweight world champion boxer Lucian Bute fought journeyman Glen Johnson in 2011 when stiffer competition, such as Mikkel Kessler and Kelly Pavlic, eventually declined to take the title fight after initially showing interest. Bute was undefeated at the time, with a high KO ratio.
He dominated the older fighter throughout the match but failed to knock him out in the end. But this picture easily captures the direct effect of Bute’s high-impact punches, how a well-timed left cross to Johnson’s chin sends shockwaves all over his face and around to the back of his head.
Bursting With Energy
The physical demand for a person to perform using gymnastic’s steady rings, especially at a competitive level, is excruciating. This was just so earlier in the sport’s history, with performers banking more on upper body control than on their swinging techniques.
Full of energy from performing exercises like the Inverted Cross, or perhaps the more advanced Maltese, where the gymnast maintains a parallel position to the floor, the performer looks to be shouting for joy, with a ferocious mane appearing above to match.
Making a Splash
It’s the perfect day for baseball. You’re away from the rut of routine work at the office, and the weather shows no sign of rain. You take a seat in the stands and sip a fresh beverage. You watch the game and feel the tingle in your drink, bubbles, and fizz—then it pops—the batter hits for the cycle.
The outfielder flies up and reaches towards the spot where you’re sitting. All eyes are on him. The next thing you know, your drink explodes as you instinctively move out of the way as the ball rushes toward you—a glove comes up, protecting you. What a story, right? All of this happened, and luckily for this man, he has photographic proof.
Staring at an Alien
A diver sits alone at the bottom of the ocean when a fish aggregation forms in the vicinity—first as a flying carpet, drifting high above the diver in the silvery sky, then closer, and larger, in a tubular form, transforming into the specter of a large animal, whirling, like a tornado in a desert.
The diver is stared down by a school of fish that seemingly appears ready to devour—a massive demonstration against his intrusion into their world. It is almost no different from how we react to a wild animal that gets lost on its way in a city.
Hero Father
Shaun Cunningham thought he should bond with his son, Landon, over a baseball game when he heard the Pittsburgh Pirates were coming to play against the Atlanta Braves. It was only for a training game, but his son’s birthday was coming, and he loves baseball. Besides, he felt they should go out more often.
His son looked at his dad as a hero, as kids his age normally do, but that’s also because Shaun is, as all dads must be, a hero. He proved it when a bat slid from one of the player’s hands into the stands, spinning. It could have injured Landon as it flew in his direction while he wasn’t watching, but his dad deflected it just in time with his arm.
Flirting With Danger
These two buddies have been flirting with danger since they met back in 2004—as if the only way to live life is on the edge. They started with rock climbing and moved on to base jumping, all the while mocking their ever-present companion: death.
But one of the two, Ian Flanders, died in Turkey, where the two base jumped in 2015. Following this heartbreaking accident, Matt Blank created a base jumping video in tribute to his friend, reading a letter dedicated to Ian at the start of the video.
Extreme Surfing
Garrett McNamara surfed a 78-ft wave in 2011, but others have since questioned this feat, which broke his previous world record. Not to be deterred by controversy, the extreme waterman searched for the next giant wave as if it were an apparition. He finally found it in Portugal.
The hundred-foot wave was the Mount Everest of extreme surfers—the biggest most surfers have ever seen and most treacherous too. Another surfer, Andrew Cotton, broke his back, attempting a similar endeavor. You can barely see McNamara out there on the ride of his life.
Front Wedgie
We get the need to celebrate a good move but it always pays to remember that you are being broadcast to TV viewers worldwide. On the plus side the fact that he did forget himself means that we get to laugh at this image of his front wedgie forever.
We are guessing that he was trying to use his shirt to wipe off some sweat but grabbed his shorts in what could have been quite a nasty accident.
The Horror Games
Something is obviously happening out of shot here and given that soccer is not usually associated with horror we’d be intrigued to know what it is.
Both these players look completely petrified – is it a giant soccer ball? A naked pitch invasion? A swarm of bees? Answers on a postcard.
Bad, Bad Boy
Oh yeah, this is a good one! All the way in India, they use very different paddles. They play cricket, friends!
No it's not baseball. Close, but no cigar! British baseball is way raunchier, as seen here.
Might Be Beer Pong
Table tennis, ping-pong, whiff-whaff — There are actually quite a few names for that sport involving tiny balls. Back and forth across the net, there is enough action that occurs to merit a world championship on ESPN. Unsurprisingly, colleges across America have innovated further with a little alcohol.
Here, Zoltan Fejer-Konnerth of Germany battles an opponent during the 2010 Table Tennis World Team Cup in Dubai. That photo, though! It looks like his open mouth might be a perfect hole-in-one. It's a miracle that ball didn't disappear, but Deutschland placed at number three in the world, in the end!
I’m Gonna Go For It
You can see the intensity of the concentration of this gymnast as she aims for the vault. She certainly looks determined to land on her hands rather than her face.
With this level of determination and professionalism we are sure that this move was perfectly executed and landed. What a great image, caught at such a crucial moment.
Lickety Lick
We are not sure what is going on here but neither guy looks like they are having a good time. The guy with the ball looks both shocked and horrified and we are not sure what the guy licking his armpit was even thinking.
Either way, the entire photo is pretty vile, I mean we are all for novel and unique ways of distracting your opponent, but this is beyond the pale.
Defense Mechanism
Every soccer game has its high octane moments. It's the most popular sport on earth, for a reason! ESPN captures the best of them for instant replay, but it was extra special for viewers today. For this kind of fist-to-nose contact, rugby or hockey is normally required!
At least the guy in the red shirt seems amused by the event. Will his laughter comfort the victim of the blow? Unlikely. At this point, the pain is probably unstoppable for the guy in blue. Maybe later, he can gently remind the goalie that this isn't a boxing ring!
Lost in Translation
And now, it's to zoom in to one very special jersey. Pronunciation is everything, especially when it comes to names like this one. Maybe the other team should be wary. There's a good chance this Japanese athlete is not going to “Takeshita” from anyone! Game, set, match.
Sure, the NBA has its fair share of nicknames. Matthew Dellavedova is called Outback Jesus. Andrew Wiggins? Maple Jordan. And of course, Draymond Green – the Dancing Bear. But this time, it seems that this is a real last name! There's a first for everything, especially in the world of sports.
Over the Moon
At the 2012 Olympic Games, held in London, one person managed to capture the moment that the lunar cycle aligned with the sixth Olympic ring. And it was glorious! Few noticed, with all the high impact action going on at the events. But that's what a good photographer is for!
It must have taken a lot of time and patience to wait for the perfect shot, but it's worth it for the likes. The result here is iconic and breathtaking. He must have been over the moon when he saw this!
Calling Mary Poppins
New Y0rkers have to ask: What is this whimsical pose all about? Maybe the Knicks player here is looking for a career change. It's hard to call this a basketball jump. Truthfully, it seems like a ballet move — or something off Broadway!
Some might say he just wants some branding: Graceful Number 8. And would that be so bad? NBA fans can be harsh. But they love a novelty, and Dennis Rodman has been retired for too long. Things have gotten dull, around there! Mister, maybe you're just on to something.
A Very Royal Referee
This basketball game between Dallas and San Antonio was not the usual meetup. Clearly, it must have been by royal appointment! How do you do, your highness? It seems unusual for the referee to be wearing a crown. Inquiring minds want to know, and it's time for a few answers!
But today, there's won't be any. Just a few observations! Regal and ready, it's a huddle of two peasants and king. He does seem like he is thinking about higher things, at the moment. The NBA is a major distraction from managing the kingdom!
We Got Your Back
It’s great when teammates support each other but these guys have taken it to a whole new level.
They even have their team mate’s back when he has to answer a call of nature right in the middle of the race.
That Perfect Stache
Another perfectly timed sports photo, indeed! Today, two wrestlers are sparring for the win. They struggle, and they fight. But all the while, one very funny tattoo is distracting fans from the action: Over and over, a special mark covers the other athlete's nose!
But what's really going on here? Some might suspect that this co-ink-y-dink was staged for laughs. Anything is possible, of course. Some argue that the entire sport is staged, after all! Whatever the truth may be, the snapshot is worth at least 1,000 words!