We interviewed Ch.Ganbat, a sports photographer who covered the 33rd Paris Summer Olympics. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mongolian Sports Journalists Association and an honored cultural figure.

Congratulations on your successful coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Is this the sixth Olympics you have covered?

Thank you. Yes, this was my sixth Olympics, starting with the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. I have covered four Summer Olympics such as London, Rio, Tokyo, and Paris and two Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and Sochi, delivering on-the-ground information to the public.

Many journalists and cameramen covered the Olympic Games. How did you plan to capture unique and special photos?

It required careful planning. This time, fewer media mandates were given compared to the Tokyo Olympics, and only two photographers from Mongolia received accreditation. Some countries, like Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan did not receive any quotas. Despite that, it was a large event with many photographers. International photographers collaborated with artists from seven countries, communicating online, sharing photos, and assisting each other. Some Olympic Committees even requested our photos for their use.

The Olympics symbolize global unity, drawing immense public interest. What were the benefits and challenges of covering such a high-profile event?

It truly is a festival of unity, with athletes from all over the world. When some countries cannot send their journalists, there may be no photos of their athletes’ competitions. We take pride in documenting our athletes' Olympic participation and preserving these moments in history.

You mentioned that journalists from some countries couldn’t participate. What requirements must the media meet to cover the Olympics?

Media rights are awarded based on the number of medals and achievements of a country's athletes. The Olympic organizers decide how many reporters can attend from each country. Based on this, the Sports Journalists Association and the National Olympic Committee select who will be sent.

With many events happening simultaneously during the Olympics, how do you choose which competitions to photograph?

We prioritize photographing sports where our athletes have a strong chance of winning medals, such as judo, freestyle wrestling, and boxing. If events do not overlap, I try to capture as many matches as possible. For instance, I focused on the judo tournament since it began right after the opening ceremony. When competitions overlapped, I relied on cooperation with international journalists to ensure coverage of our athletes. Photographer D.Nyambileg and I also photographed athletes from other countries, working closely together to make the images accessible to all.

Highlighting and capturing important moments during competitions requires special skills, doesn't it?

Photography is a vast industry. This year marks the 90th anniversary of photography's development in Mongolia. There are various types of photography, such as sports, nature, political, and newspaper photography. Sports photographers need to understand and feel the sport. Second, they must possess strong technical skills. Third, it is crucial to anticipate key moments in the sport. There are specific requirements for different sports, like how to act and what techniques to use during basketball, judo, or indoor competitions. We have limited opportunities to earn money by selling the photos we take, so it requires a deep loyalty and passion for sports.

Is capturing rare moments more about instinct and feeling, or do experience and skill play a bigger role?

Experience comes first. Then, there’s intuition, and lastly, luck. For example, at the Tokyo Olympics, I captured a photo of the gold medalist removing his mask, with the five Olympic rings reflected in his eyes, which created quite a stir. I was just lucky to click that picture. I couldn’t have predicted the rings would reflect in the athlete's eyes. I was simply waiting for an extraordinary image to emerge.

Your photograph, “Before Grabbing”, won third place in the “Golden Moment” competition, where photographers from 125 countries competed. What was special about that work?

The competition, which is over 100 years old, received around 1,700 entries and was judged by experts from 34 countries. Mongolian photographers often capture images with a narrative, like “Before Grabbing”. My photo stood out because of its beautiful angles and the technique used. Photography equipment, including mobile phones, has reached a very advanced level, and camera specifications continue to be updated. For a photographer, it's essential to keep up with these advancements and use the best techniques, although it can be challenging without financial support.

We also need to train the next generation of photographers. Young photographers should be prepared to cover the next Olympics. If they are interested in specializing in this genre, I am ready to mentor and guide them. A bright future awaits those who start with the Asian Games. I believe that our photographers have the potential and resources to work independently in sports photography.

Your photo of a couple participating in volunteer work was chosen as the best photo of the day at the Olympics. Was this shot intentional or just an encounter?

That picture was taken two days before the Olympics. On my way to the press center, I happened to see an elderly couple on bicycles sharing a kiss. I captured that moment and submitted it to the contest, where it won the best photo of the day. Photographers from many countries participated in the competition. On the day I led, there were fewer participants. Paris, being known as the city of love, made this photo even more special.

Many Mongolians “breathed” through the photos you took during the 2024 Summer Olympics. How many pictures did you manage to capture?

It wasn’t just my work; it was also the work of D.Nyambileg, a member of the Board of Directors of the Mongolian Sports Journalists' Association, who participated in his third Olympics and was once my student. He mainly covered the wrestling matches, while I spent most of my time around the judo arena. During other times, we both photographed various sports events. So, it’s not fair to say it was solely my work. Two photographers and journalists from our country covered the 33rd Summer Olympic Games "Paris-2024." One of them was J.Otgontsagaan, an honored cultural figure known as "Olympic Oto", who has greatly contributed to the development of Olympism in Mongolia and is one of the founders of “Five Circles” newspaper. This was his first time attending the Olympics as a journalist. J.Tsetsegmaa, the founder of “MGL Sports” and a very hardworking woman, also participated.

People cannot fully grasp the Olympic events through just one photograph. Articles and pictures complement each other, creating a collaborative narrative. During the 20 days of the Olympics, Mongolians connected with our work. We noticed that interest in the Olympics had grown, with everyone talking about staying up all night watching the games, being late to work, and hoping for medals while glued to their TVs.

Watching events on screen is different. Experiencing them in person offers a unique feeling. As a photographer, do you prefer to cover events or competitions on-site?

It's nice to watch the Olympic Games' opening ceremony on screen. During this festival's opening, it rained heavily. According to the original plan, the athletes were supposed to circle the main area in their boats, but the rain altered these plans. Unfortunately, I couldn't photograph the Mongolian athletes because they didn't enter the main area due to the weather. However, the athletes were recorded from various angles on their boats and shown on TV. While being on the ground provides a thrilling experience, seeing the Eiffel Tower light up, feeling the ambiance, and watching world-class performances in terms of comprehensive coverage, TV has its advantages.

What was the atmosphere in Paris?

Paris has many refugees, and sometimes dining out could result in incidents like phone theft. However, there were no such problems during the Olympics. You would encounter police officers every few steps. Security was tight, with police stationed at every metro station and street corner. The event was well-organized and peaceful. Citizens were also very welcoming. Whenever I went out wearing my Olympic Games credentials, everyone greeted me warmly.

The Olympic campus was filled with athletes from various countries, with national flags displayed on their windowsills. Competitors would exchange signs and form friendships, especially within the same sports category. Entering the Olympic campus was like stepping into another world.

During the festival, you must have had a hectic schedule. How did you manage?

Our day started at 6:00 a.m. We would head to the press center, where the four of us would discuss and make plans. Depending on which sports events we covered, we would get on the bus and head to our destinations. We aimed to attend three competitions daily. I primarily took photos of judo wrestling but also captured images of other events where Mongolian athletes didn't participate. We usually returned home around 11:00 p.m. or midnight.

Mongolian companies are very supportive of sports, likely due to the involvement of young individuals educated at foreign universities in management roles. Our team of Olympic sports journalists was sponsored by two companies. Thanks to their support, we worked without any worries. Foreign media were even surprised, saying, “Mongolian journalists are staying in a nice place with good supplies”. This reflects the understanding and support of Mongolian companies for sports. In return, I promoted these companies as much as possible.

How would you describe the unique aspects of this Olympic Games?

This Olympic Games stood out due to the collaboration between international journalists. For instance, I photographed a Moldovan athlete wrestling for a gold medal. Since there were no photographers from Moldova, their National Olympic Committee expressed their gratitude for sharing those photos. We have been in that situation too. Before the 2012 London Summer Olympics, we didn’t have official photographers, so our country's Olympic committee used to request other countries to "take photos of our athletes." Sports people form a family that fills in for each other’s absence.

You previously held the "Rio-2016 Olympics in My Eyes" exhibition. Are there plans to showcase the highlights of the 2024 Summer Olympics to the public?

We couldn’t hold an exhibition during the Tokyo Olympics due to the pandemic. However, we plan to organize an exhibition with D.Nyambileg before the Olympic atmosphere subsides, following the conclusion of the 17th Paralympic Games “Paris-2024”.