Commentators stunned as Olympic pole vaulter misses out on medal when unfortunate body part clips bar
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: NBC
We've all had a bad day at the office, but this guy's just happened to be caught on camera for millions to see in slow motion.
France's Anthony Ammirati competed in the men's pole vault qualification of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games yesterday (August 3), but sadly missed out on his chance to compete in tomorrow's final for a very unfortunate reason.
Ammirati successfully cleared 5.40 meters and 5.60 meters, but struggled to clear 5.70 meters.
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He'd come very close to doing so on his third try but sadly his own body deceived him and his package, so to say, clipped the pole on his way over and came crashing down.
This was then played back in slow motion and it's say to say it left Olympic commentators speechless.
One asked: "What happened here?"
Another commentator appeared to reply 'On the way down...' and the others made an awkward sound as they came to realize exactly what happened.
Their response has left viewers in stitches. One person tweeted: "Anthony Ammirati failed the bar and the commentators are clearly having a hard time acknowledging what happened. I'M DYING."
"The struggle to keep it professional when it's so painfully obvious is too real," said another.
A third added: "They definitely knew why but just couldn't say it out loud."
Others said that Ammirati might have lost his shot at a medal, but he definitely won in other ways...
"Loses vault. Wins internet," one person penned.
"When you lose but you still win," quipped someone else.
A different person joked: "I am sure he will be compensated at the Olympic Village."
Fortunately Ammirati has been a good sport about his newfound viral fame. Speaking to the French Athletic Federation, the 21-year-old said: “I’m just glad I can make people smile and laugh. And who knows, maybe this will be the start of something amazing!”
He did express his disappointment at losing, however. Ammirati ended up placing 15th in the contest.
"It’s a big disappointment," the first-time Olympian admitted. "The conditions were good. It’s the first time I’ve started a competition without any stress. As I was a total outsider, I only had one goal: to play with the audience. I was almost there."
There's always Los Angeles 2028, Anthony!