The story behind the Lightning Bolt! How Olivier Morin captured this stunning shot... and where does it rank among the greatest sports photographs of all time?




It is already being hailed as one of the greatest sports photographs of all time.



As Usain Bolt crossed the line to win the 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, AFP photographer Olivier Morin was primed and ready in the right place at the right time to take an image which will undoubtedly become the iconic lasting image of the legendary Jamaican's career.



With thunderstorms gathering around the Luzhniki Stadium, Morin sat in the first row of the photographer's tribune, set up five remote cameras near the finish line in preparation for athletics' showpiece race and crossed his fingers that he may be able to catch a lightning strike.

Watch video of the race below...



Olivier Morin of AFP captures a stunning shot of Usain Bolt after winning the 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow as lightning strikes



READ MORIN'S FULL STORY ON CAPTURING THIS STUNNING PHOTOGRAPH

Click here for the full story

Morin told the Daily Relay: 'A half an hour before the race everybody saw the beginning of a thunderstorm and many lightnings. All of us were trying to get those lightnings with the 10,000m which was just before. But to combine the lightning and the racers, it’s already difficult with two parameters at the same time.'



It couldn't have gone better. As Bolt carried on with his victory lap, Morin's eyes lit up as he edited and processed the images trackside.



He said: 'I’m editing…the remote cameras on this laptop after (from trackside). I went through all of the remotes (cameras) and this is the last one. The fifth one, I go to directly the pictures that are there.



'I didn’t see all of it at first when it was the small images. I just saw Bolt in the frame, because the image was a small size. I say, "OK, Bolt is in and he looks sharp". Then I open the picture and say "Ooo". There’s lightning there and a second shot with lightning. And then I notice that there is something there. So here we go.”

AFP photographer Olivier Morin with a laptop displaying his remarkable photograph of Usain Bolt which has gone viral on the internet

Humble Morin, who has worked for AFP for 24 years, has received widespread acclaim for his photo which he maintains was down to luck.



He said: 'It’s a difficult picture to talk about, because this one is 99 per cent of fortunate (luck). To instance of lightning. I could have not preplanned this.'



'The only thing I am responsible for is the framing and the timing of pressing the button (for the remote camera). The rest is out of my control. The god of weather was with me last night.

'To have this lightning just at this moment for Bolt himself. I’ve got to say, it was my day.'

Sportsmail has delved into its extensive picture archive to bring you a selection of classic sporting images...

John Rooney of AP took this photograph of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston after a first-round knockout in May 1965



Roger Bannister crosses the finish line to run the first sub-four minute mile on May 6 1954



Ben Johnson powers ahead of the rest on his way to a 100m world record time of 9.79 sec at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988. Johnson was later stripped of his gold medal after testing positive for drugs.



England captain Bobby Moore is held shoulder high by his team-mates after leading the side to World Cup glory in 1966 with a 4-2 win against West Germany

Tony Duffy captures American long jumper Bob Beamon soaring through the air to a world record of 8.90m at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City (left), while Argentina's Diego Maradona takes on the Belgium defence during the 1982 World Cup in Spain (right)



Chris Cole of Allsport took this shot of sumo wrestler Konishiki 'The Dumptruck'' of Hawaii staring down at his opponent during the first Sumo Bashai held outside Japan, at the Albert Hall in London, England in November 1991



Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal past England keeper Peter Shilton at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico



Mike Hewitt of Getty Images took this photograph of Roger Federer and Andre Agassi taking part in an audacious practice session on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai in February 2005 The moment when the Mail on Sunday's Mark Pain found himself in the line of fire at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor as Tiger Woods duffed his chip. And check out 'Cigar Guy' towards the right of the photo...



Andrew Milligan of PA captures the horror on Chris Iwelumo's face as the Scotland striker misses an open goal against Norway at Hampden Park, Glasgow in 2008



Tom Shaw of Getty Images was responsible for this photo of Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee after England won a nail-biting second Ashes Test at Edgbaston in 2005



The Daily Mail's Andy Hooper was in Istanbul to snap Steven Gerrard holding the Champions League trophy aloft after Liverpool's remarkable comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan in 2005 John Varley's photograph from 1970 of Pele swapping shirts with Bobby Moore after Brazil beat England 1-0 at the World Cup in Mexico (left), and Alex Livesey of Getty Images snapped Sir Bradley Wiggins sitting on a throne after winning gold in the London 2012 Olympics time trial (right)



Scotland fans rip down the goal at Wembley after their team beat England 2-1 in 1977



Another great photograph from the Daily Mail's Andy Hooper as streaker Melissa Johnson runs past Richard Krajicek and Mal Washington ahead of the 1996 men's singles final at Wimbledon



The exhaustion and relief on Steve Redgrave's face is evident after winning his fifth Olympic gold medal in the Coxless Fours at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney with Matthew Pinsent (left), Tim Foster (second left) and James Cracknell (right)

A classic rugby union photo from Colorsport's Colin Elsey of 'The Mud Man' Fran Cotton during the Lions tour of New Zealand in 1977 (left), while American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos (right) give the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City after taking gold and bronze respectively in the 200m

One of the most dramatic images ever from Formula One as Dutchman Jos Verstappen escapes with just minor burns to his nose after fuel leaked on to his car and set the whole thing on fire during a pit stop at the 1994 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim

Jonny Wilkinson's drop kick in extra time clinches the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup for England against Australia in Sydney

Michael Regan of Getty Images took this shot of the Olympic Stadium as fireworks are set off during the Opening Ceremony at London 2012



Matt King of Getty Images snapped George North of the Lions lifting the Wallabies' Israel Folau of Wallabies while carrying the ball during the second Test in June 2013

