MILAN (AP) — Ashley Landis is a staff photographer based in Houston, Texas. She has been a photographer for more than 20 years, and has been with The Associated Press for six years.
Why this photo?
On Tuesday, two nights before this photo was taken, the Dutch short track speedskating team set an Olympic record in the team relay but did not medal. On Thursday, Jens van ’t Wout took gold in the men’s 1,000-meter race and his teammate Xandra Velzeboer, seen in the background, won gold in the women’s 500-meter race. This photos tells the story of their excitement of winning after the bittersweet loss of the team competition.
How I made this photo
We chose our photo positions ahead of time to capture important moments of each race. From this position, we knew we could see the medalists celebrate with their team after crossing the finish line. I followed the gold medalist around the corner with my lens as he approached his coaches and made this frame.
Why this photo works
Van ’t Wout is reaching out toward a member of his team, who had thrown himself over the padded wall on the edge of the rink. It’s peak celebration, and a happy moment with a gold medalist and his team. It’s what we think of when we think about the Olympics.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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