Paris Olympic Games - Athletics: Track Feed

Standing in the control room of the Stade de France, surrounded by a sea of monitors, I was in the middle of one of the most complex and intense broadcasts of my career: directing the track feed for the Paris 2024 Olympics athletics, working for OBS under the expert guidance of YLE’s Tuomas Jauhiainen, the Integrated Feed Director. With over 30 cameras at my disposal, including Spidercam, Cablecam, and three Track-cams, the task at hand was far more than just capturing the action. It was about creating a compelling story, one that would connect with more than 2 billion viewers worldwide.

For months leading up to the Games, we meticulously planned every detail, preparing for the challenge of real-time engagement. When the athletes took to the track, their stories began to unfold, and it was my responsibility to deliver those moments to the world. Every camera angle, every cut, had to enhance the emotional intensity—from the breath-holding stillness at the starting line to the roaring sprints and final, dramatic finishes. The heart of the job wasn’t just in showing the races—it was in storytelling.

Under Tuomas Jauhiainen’s direction, our goal was clear: deliver a broadcast that was immersive and accessible, allowing fans everywhere to feel like they were right in the heart of the action. This was easily one of the most challenging jobs of my career. The pressure was immense—juggling dozens of cameras, reacting in real-time, all while knowing that billions of eyes were watching. But the payoff? Knowing that viewers around the globe felt connected to the athletes, their struggles, and their victories, as if they were right there in the stadium.

It was the ultimate blend of technical precision and creative storytelling—and the feeling of being part of something so monumental, so global, was nothing short of exhilarating.