The Olympian pursuit

As the Games overwhelms our consciousness, we tend to miss more than we observe. Here's how to embody, through dynamic images, the lessons inlaid into the global sporting extravaganza...

The Olympic Games can be a chaotic fête. Thousands of athletes engaging in unremitting competition in a tempest of sporting contests.

2016 Rio Olympics - Fencing - Semifinal - Women's Sabre Individual Semifinals - Carioca Arena 3 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 08/08/2016. lga Kharlan (UKR) of Ukraine competes with Yana Egorian (RUS) of Russia. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

^ lga Kharlan (UKR) of Ukraine competes with Yana Egorian (RUS) of Russia on Monday, August 8, 2016.

Given the multiplicity of events on offer, it is intimidating to imagine the sheer number of magical moments — showcasing the kinetics and artistry of human movement — that can occur and go unobserved.

2016 Rio Olympics - Women's Preliminary - Pool A Argentina v Cameroon - 12/08/2016. Bodo Essissima Madeleine Samantha (CMR) of Cameroon gestures. REUTERS/Yves Herman TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Bodo Essissima Madeleine Samantha of Cameroon lets watches the ball during the Pool A Volleyball game against Argentina on Friday, August 12.

This is when the camera comes in, helping us freeze and capture such precious instants of human tenacity.

2016 Rio Olympics - Water Polo - Preliminary - Men's Preliminary Round - Group B Croatia v Montenegro - Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 08/08/2016. Aleksandar Radovic (MNE) of Montenegro shoots the ball. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Aleksandar Radovic of Montenegro shoots the ball during the Group B Water Polo match against Croatia in the Men's Preliminary round on Monday, August 8.

No matter how 'still' an image is, the dynamism that the instant brims with can't escape the camera aperture. A dynamism that can condense solid objects into fluid trails caught dancing in motion.

REFILE - CORRECTING ID 2016 Rio Olympics - Weightlifting - Final - Women's 63kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 09/08/2016. Joana Palacios (ARG) of Argentina competes. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Argentina's Joana Palacios competes in the Women's 63kg Weightlifting Final on August 9.

Most of all, the Olympics can teach us one thing, if nothing else.

No matter the challenges we choose to accept, the weights we choose to lift, the burdens we take upon ourselves...

Divers play Mahjong underwater during a local contest in Chongqing, China, August 7, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

^ Divers play Mahjong underwater during a local contest in Chongqing, China, August 7.

... the games we play in our bid to catalyse self-growth,

2016 Rio Olympics - Artistic Gymnastics - Final - Women's Individual All-Around Final - Rio Olympic Arena - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 11/08/2016. Asuka Teramoto (JPN) of Japan competes on the beam during the women's individual all-around final. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Asuka Teramoto of Japan competes on the beam during the women's individual all-around final on August 11.

... to stretch ourselves to the limits of our physical constraints...

2016 Rio Olympics - Judo - Preliminary - Men -100 kg Elimination Rounds - Carioca Arena 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 11/08/2016. Toma Nikiforov (BEL) of Belgium and Beka Gviniashvili (GEO) of Georgia compete. REUTERS/Toru Hanai TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Belgian Toma Nikiforov and Georgian Beka Gviniashvili are locked in combat during an elimination round match in the Men's 100kg Judo event.

... to lock ourselves in a self-imposed tussle with our own bodies and minds...

2016 Rio Olympics - Swimming - Final - Men's 200m Individual Medley Final - Olympic Aquatics Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 11/08/2016. Michael Phelps (USA) of USA competes on his way to winning the gold. REUTERS/Michael Dalder TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Michael Phelps (USA) dives into the pool for the Gold in the Men's 200-metre Individual Medley Swimming event on August 11.

...to push ourselves out of our comfort zones into unfamiliar environments we weren't built to navigate...

Football Soccer - Copa Sudamericana - Penarol v Sportivo Luqueno - Feliciano Caceres stadium, Luque, Paraguay - 9/8/2016 - Nicolas Albarracin of Uruguay's Penarol reacts after he fails to score against Paraguay's Sportivo Luqueno. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

^ Nicolas Albarracin of Uruguay's Penarol reacts after he fails to score against Paraguay's Sportivo Luqueno on August 9.

... to struggle against the shame and agony of loss...

2016 Rio Olympics - Trampoline Gymnastics - Preliminary - Men's Qualification - Rio Olympic Arena - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 13/08/2016. Jason Burnett (CAN) of Canada competes. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Canadian gymnast Jason Burnett competes in the Men's Qualification round of Trampoline Gymnastics on August 13.

... or the alien positions and situations we put ourselves into in pursuit of glory and self-actualisation...

2016 Rio Olympics - Boxing - Preliminary - Men's Welter (69kg) Round of 16 Bout 111 - Riocentro - Pavilion 6 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 11/08/2016. Mohammed Rabii (MAR) of Morocco competes. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

^ Moroccan boxer Mohammed Rabii competes in the Men's Welterweight (69kg) Pre-quarterfinal on August 11.

... it is the blows that we can endure and surmount that we, all athletes IRL, will truly be remembered for.