Judoka turned photographer now captures favourite sport by way of lens

Germany’s Marcel Haupt is a photographer who actually stands other than the gang.

While others use digital single-lens reflex cameras, the German embraces the timeless artistry of an previous analog model. This selection, regardless of its limitations, infuses his pictures with a uncommon and hanging depth that strikes the viewer. But it’s not solely his method that’s particular, his story is simply too.

Haupt as soon as dreamed of turning into a well-known judoka, as so many student-athletes on the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games do. However, after a few years of competitors, he realised a strong reality: the spirit of sports activities shines by way of many kinds. Now, he expresses his ardour for judo not on the tatami, however by way of his lens.

At the judo finals on Friday, 25 July, he captured the guts and soul of his beloved sport in a approach solely a real insider can.

Been there, carried out that

Haupt was as soon as a pupil of pictures. At first, he struggled to establish as a sports activities photographer, however over time, he got here to embrace that position as a real reflection of himself. He now calls himself not solely a sports activities photographer but in addition a coach, a journalist, and a household man.

He has already lined a number of worldwide sporting occasions, together with taking pictures on the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Having competed in judo years in the past, he is aware of the game in all its particulars.

“As I was a judoka myself, I can understand how the student-athletes feel before, during, and after the competition. That makes me and my work special, and you can see that,” Haupt defined. “I’ve been there too, and I know exactly what’s going on in their heads.”

He typically meets athletes after fights within the areas no spectator sees. “The atmosphere is just different—very intense. Sometimes I see competitors cry. The moment is what matters to me,” he added. “I capture these very emotional moments because these are insights nobody else can see.”

Far away from the cheering crowds, after the large match or combat.

He referred to his digicam as a bridge between the uncooked world of sports activities and a brand new type of artwork that reveals each aesthetics and emotion. As he’s obsessed with judo, he additionally described the tatami as his front room. “Judo is my life, you know,” he laughed. “It’s the best sport that ever existed because it teaches you so much about life and values.”

According to Haupt, the game has considerably formed his character, serving to him develop not simply as an athlete however as an individual. He believes the teachings lengthen far past the tatami, providing a path to non-public  progress, connection, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be actually robust – each inside and outside.

“Everybody should try it,” he summed up, hastening to the ladies’s -78 kg medal ceremony to seize pictures of countrywoman Anna Monta Olek, who stood on high of the rostrum.

Other gold medallists on the penultimate day of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 judo competitors included teammates Kim Hayun (girls’s +78 kg) and Kim Jonghoon from the Republic of Korea (males’s -90 kg), Poland’s Michal Jedrzejewski (males’s -100 kg), in addition to Japan’s Yuta Nakamura (males’s +100 kg).

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games happen from 16-27 July. Watch all of the competitions dwell on fisu.tv. Click on the hyperlink to seek out the complete schedule.

Written by Johanna Horn, EU U-Media Ambassador, Germany

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s dedication to greater than sports activities competitions. At each FISU World University Games, a gaggle of gifted aspiring sports activities journalists are chosen to cowl the competitors.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which offers outstanding uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a useful associate for FISU because it continued to supply its help in the course of the postponement of occasions because of the international pandemic, and not too long ago prolonged the connection with FISU as much as and together with 2025.