Photographer Speared By Javelin

Photographers are a totally different breed. They have the ability to freeze a moment in time perfectly, and create a memory that will live on forever, but they rarely get out of photographer mode.

To illustrate this point, Ryan McGeeney, a photographer for the Standard-Examiner in Utah, was speared through the leg by a javelin this Saturday while shooting the state high school track meet.

Where most people would scream in pain and cry for their mommies, McGeeney, being the seasoned photographer he is, remained calm, and snapped a picture of the javelin in his leg.

Some might call him crazy, others demented, but in the world of photography, he is awesome. "If I didn't, it would probably be my editor's first question when I got back," McGeeney told the Associated Press after his ordeal.

McGeeney, a 33-year-old ex-Marine (go figure!), was taking pictures of the discus event when he apparently wandered into the off-limits area used for the javelin throw.

The massive metal spear struck him just below his knee, went through the skin and popped out on the other side of his leg.

But, McGeeney said it didn't hurt as bad as some might think, and says he's just lucky it didn't hit any major blood vessels, nerves, ligaments or tendons.

After the initial shock of the crowd, McGeeney was taken to a hospital, where they removed the javelin and sent him home with 13 stitches.

Anthony Miles of Provo High School launched the javelin that ended up in the photographer's leg, and says he was shocked when it happened. But, the track coach was apparently more concerned that his team might not be able to finish the competition, because of the missing javelin. Luckily, there was a second one.

"One of the first things that came to my mind was, 'Good thing we brought a second javelin,'" coach Richard Vance told the Associated Press Monday.

That's great, someone has a six foot pole sticking out of them, and the first thing the coach thinks about is, "Do we have a second javelin?" I wonder what wouldn't happened if they didn't.

Image Source AP Photo/Ryan McGeeney