01 ski jumping

South Korea’s Seou Choi in action during the Men’s Large Hill ski-jumping event at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8l IS II USM exposure 1/15 sec, f/9, ISO250

02 swimming

Simon’s shot of a swimmer diving into the pool was taken at the 2008 Olympics. Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8l IS II USM exposure 1/1000 sec, f/2.8, ISO1000

03 striking gold

A remote camera at the track side with a wide-angle zoom captures Mo Farah winning gold in the 5000m at the London Olympics in 2012. Lens Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8l USM exposure 1/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO2500

04 kentucky derby

Taken from aboard the Goodyear blimp: Barbaro on his way to a decisive win in the 2006 Kentucky Derby. Lens Canon EF 500mm f/4l IS II USM +1.4x converter exposure 1/1600 sec, f/7.1, ISO800

05 game Action

A pin-sharp, bird’s-eye view of the NCAA College Football Championship game between Ohio State and Oregon. Lens Canon EF 200-400mm f/4l IS USM exposure 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO10000

06 michael phelps

This Phelps shot was taken on the first run-through of an underwater set-up. Lens Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM exposure 1/250 sec, f/13, ISO400

07 skeet shooting

At the end of a magazine assignment on skeet shooting, Simon set up this picture. “The subject was eager to point the gun at me by that stage!” he says. Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8l IS II USM exposure 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO200

08 team pursuit

Simon had only one chance to shoot at the velodrome at the 2012 Olympics. “99 per cent of this shoot went in the bin,” he says. Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8l IS II USM exposure 1/8 sec, f/5.6, ISO50

09 the masters

A tilt-shift lens gives a ‘toytown’ look to the US Masters golf championship. Lens Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 exposure 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO100

10 matthias mayer

Mayer on his way to winning gold in the Men’s Alpine Skiing Downhill event in the Winter Olympics 2014. Lens Canon EF 600mm f/4l IS II USM exposure 1/2000 sec, f/4, ISO500