Move over, wardrobe malfunctions! There’s a new Olympic moment that’s raising eyebrows and dropping jaws faster than you can say “pole vault.”
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati may have lost his bid for a medal at the Paris Games on Saturday, but he’s won the internet’s heart… and other parts. The 21-year-old athlete gave new meaning to the phrase “rising to the occasion” when he attempted to clear a 5.70m bar. In a twist that nobody saw coming (least of all Ammirati), our young hero cleared the bar with most of his body. The problem? Well, let’s just say a certain part of his anatomy decided it wanted to compete for gold all on its own.
Being unable to secure the gold medal in pole vaulting at the #Olympics because you had too much dingaling, still qualifies as winning. That’s just me. We see you, le king. 😂🫵🏽✊🏽🥇 https://t.co/1Bs3foQ1RH
— Sassington, M.C. (@MissSassbox) August 3, 2024
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati faces a unique challenge during his jump at #Paris2024, inadvertently knocking down the pole with an unexpected ‘assist’. 😳🥇🇫🇷 #Olympics #PoleVault #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/D0UVRkcD7i
— 3 Ps & A Pod (@3Ps_Pod) August 3, 2024
As Ammirati contorted his body around the bar with the grace of a gymnast, it seemed like he was home free. But in a cruel twist of fate (and physics), his, ahem, “personal pole” apparently didn’t get the memo about the required clearance height. Let’s see it again, for science.
Omg pic.twitter.com/dqKjnJbNIz
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 3, 2024
Related: Olympics 2024: French Diver Jules Bouyer Goes Viral
While Ammirati may have finished in 12th place, he’s certainly coming in first in the court of public opinion. Social media has exploded with reactions, ranging from sympathetic winces to creative uses of the eggplant emoji. One Twitter user quipped, “Talk about raising the bar! Ammirati’s performance was nuts!” While another mused, “Is this what they mean by ‘giving it your all’ in sports?”
Sure, Ammirati might not be taking home a medal, but he’s certainly taken home our hearts. And let’s be honest, going viral is basically the modern-day equivalent of Olympic gold, right?
Flying to the Paris Olympics to make sure Anthony Ammirati is ok 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Tf22U9dM5m
— big ash🌻 (@mszashley) August 3, 2024
So here’s to you, Anthony Ammirati. You may not have stuck the landing, but you’ve certainly made an impression. In the grand Olympic tradition of unexpected moments, you’ve shown us that sometimes, it’s not about how high you soar, but how memorably you fall.
Remember, folks: in pole vaulting, as in life, sometimes you’re the pole, and sometimes you’re the bar. Ammirati just happened to be a little bit of both.
I wish I had his problem!