Dedicated to his work it seems.
Perhaps he even created the story by walking into the no-go zone to get hit by it.
Good thing they had a spare.

[Pic on site]
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23728212-13762,00.html

Javelin in leg, snapper still gets the shot

A NEWSPAPER photographer was speared in the leg by a javelin at a school athletics day but still had the presence of mind to take a snap of his bizarre injury.

Ryan McGeeney of Utah’s Standard-Examiner escaped serious injury in the accident at a track competition at a high school in Provo, Utah, at the weekend, the Associated Press reported.

As others rushed to help him, McGeeney took a couple of shots of his gruesome injury.

“If I didn’t, it would probably be my editor’s first question when I got back,“ he said later.

McGeeney, 33, was taking pictures of the discus event and apparently wandered into an off-limits area set aside for the javelin throw.

The javelin tip hit him just below the knee, went through the skin and emerged on the other side of his leg.

“It wasn’t real painful. ... I was very lucky in that it didn’t hit any blood vessels, nerves, ligaments or tendons,“ McGeeney said.

Most of the javelin was cut off at the scene and the piece left in his leg was removed at a local hospital.

The javelin was thrown by Provo High School student Anthony Miles.

“One of the first things that came to my mind was, ‘Good thing we brought a second javelin’,“ he said.

Anthony went on to win the state title in javelin.

Interesting story.  Not much else to say about it.  Though that does take some self-control to think about taking the picture when something like that happens.

And I can see this thread becoming a vast wasteland of leg/foot/standing puns. But we’ve done those before on so many stories I’ll refrain.  Even if I do have so many running through my head that I get a stabbing pain trying to resist.

GAH!

There.  I have defeeted the urge.

Kneeded that pretty badly, Tah? You must feel a heel after going toe to toe with the urge, and losing. An emoshinal situation, but not calf as bad as it could have been. Go ahead and walk it off next time.

Robin Bobcat - 19 May 2008 06:56 PM

Kneeded that pretty badly, Tah? You must feel a heel after going toe to toe with the urge, and losing. An emoshinal situation, but not calf as bad as it could have been. Go ahead and walk it off next time.

Yes, that got right to the point.

I’m sure the goths of the world are envious of his HUGE piercing and want something similar.

As others rushed to help him, McGeeney took a couple of shots of his gruesome injury.

“If I didn’t, it would probably be my editor’s first question when I got back,” he said later.

I’m pretty much thinking that this was proof as to why the story might be a little late, or to prove he really DID do the coverage?  A little bit like ‘the dog ate my homework’?

“If I didn’t, it would probably be my editor’s first question when I got back…”

“One of the first things that came to my mind was, ‘Good thing we brought a second javelin’...”

Thank God everybody had their priorities straight.

There’s a video, probably on YouTube somewhere, that shows an official/ref/cameraman/bystander/alien/whatever getting hit in the shoulder with a javelin.  It just kind of stuck and flopped down and looked really painful.

My guess?
Photographer’s thoughts ten seconds before: “Surely nobody can throw this far, I’ll be safe here”

Anthony went on to win the state title in javelin.

Oops…

Hey that is a real man, doing whatever it takes to get the shot, and getting it after he is hit.  That is dedication.

ouch…reporter must have been dedicated to his job