Astana, Jul 26 (EFE).- Kazakh cameraman Ibrai Tulemissov has become an internet sensation this week after footage of him covering Kazakhstan’s National Youth Athletics Championships in the southern city of Shymkent went viral on social media.
In the video, posted by coach Assiya Rabayeva, the cameraman can be seen running just ahead of the athletes while filming the race.
Although the championship took place in late June, the video was only posted this week and quickly spread across Instagram, where it received tens of thousands of likes.
Rabayeva edited the original footage by adding a clip from a popular cartoon that humorously portrays the work of sports photographers and videographers.
“The video was saved on my phone, and only a month after the competition did I come across it by chance. I found a cartoon online, edited the video, and posted it on my page. Suddenly, it went viral,” Rabayeva told EFE.
The star of the video told EFE that he has been involved in sports since childhood.
“I cycle and train for triathlons. In addition, I run in the mountains because we live in southern Kazakhstan, where there are plenty of them. I have been a cameraman for 15 years. Then I combined my two passions and became a sports cameraman. For the past several years, I have worked for the city’s Sports Department,” he said.
The 40-year-old cameraman said it is important to capture athletes’ emotions during competitions, something he achieves by running alongside them without getting in their way.
Tulemissov admitted he never expected to become famous this way, but said he enjoys reading the comments people leave under his videos.
“I’m just a simple cameraman who loves his job. Every day I run, swim and film athletes,” he said. EFE