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PyeongChang, Feb 12, 2018 - Anke Wälischmiller, Germany-based photographer: “At the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang I am working with another photographer on behalf of German photo agency Fotoagentur Sven Simon. The images will be mainly used for a book on this Olympics, especially for sports enthusiasts, that will be published after the Games end.
Therefore, we have to cover as many events as possible. This is mostly very difficult and nerve-racking. I am arriving at the venues not always in time to be able to get the best photo positions or to find out the fastest way to finish area at cross country after having taken action shots along the track.
Women's ice-hockey match Switzerland versus Korea I intended to cover, serves as a good example. Before this match I had to shoot speed skating (women's 3000m). For no bus was going directly from speed skating venue to hockey arena I had to go first to media village to catch the bus to hockey arena. Sitting in the bus I could watch on TV that second period of the match was almost finished and when I finally arrived at my destination last period of the game had begun.
The atmosphere in the arena was incredible. The team of Korea consists of female players from South and North Korea and so this match was not only a sport event but also a statement. Both countries seem to show with this team their goodwill. So I did not only focus on the match on the ice but also tried to get pictures of the officials and fascinated as I was, taking a lot of pictures of the “Army of Beauties” - North Korean cheerleaders performing a curious choreography on the stand. Born and raised in divided Germany, I am sensitized for this main topic and so this event will for me remain an unforgettable memory that was in the end worth all efforts”.
