Incredible photos of French Olympic athletes in action (no tricks used)

Photographer Mathieu Forget opens a stunning exhibition to mark the start of the Games at Berluti's Paris boutique

Hurdler Sasha Zhoya leaps over 'Flying Man' Mathieu Forget
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A performer and photographer known as ‘Flying Man’ for his gravity-defying poses in pictures has included members of France’s Olympic and Paralympic teams in his latest exhibition.

Son of tennis player Guy Forget, Mathieu Forget was a dancer until his photographer friend took a photo of him in the air, with his fist forward in a Superman pose.

The picture subsequently went viral and Mr Forget continued in the same style. He eventually turned photographer himself with the use of a tripod and, now, an assistant to capture his so-called ‘movement and levitation art’.

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Lighter than air

With swimmer Florent Manaudou
With badminton players the Popov brothers
With breakdancers from the Berluti centre
With Olympic cyclists

A collaboration with Olympic athletes sees hurdler Sasha Zhoya leaping over his airborne body and, in another photo, he parries with fencer Manon Apithy-Brunet above a table in a fancy Parisian restaurant.

He has also worked with wheelchair tennis player Pauline Déroulède, swimmer Florent Manaudou (above), diver Alexis Jandard and the female Olympic handball team.

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His photos are displayed at French fashion house Berluti’s Paris boutique until September 9. Entry is free. 

The brand is clothing French athletes for the Games’ opening ceremony. 

Next to the photos, a QR code can be scanned to view behind-the-scenes footage of how each photo was created. 

Mr Forget plans to release a book of the photos later this year and he will carry the Olympic torch in Versailles on July 23. 

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