The 2024 Paris Olympics track and field events had an unexpected highlight on August 3rd. French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati became an overnight sensation after his “big bulge” accidentally knocked the bar off during his jump. Despite failing to qualify for the finals, his mishap went viral, and his Instagram following surged.
Reports from the Daily Mail and other outlets detailed Ammirati’s attempt to clear 5.7 meters. While he managed to flip over the bar, his “lower body” hit it, causing it to fall. This left commentators speechless and sparked a flurry of online jokes. Ammirati finished with a height of 5.60 meters, placing 12th in Group A.
The video of Ammirati’s jump spread rapidly, with many netizens joking about the incident. Comments like “This is the best way to lose” and “He kept his male dignity intact” were common. His Instagram following grew from under 10,000 to almost 50,000 within a day.
Ammirati, who set the French junior pole vault record at 5.81 meters in 2022, received an outpouring of support on social media, despite his unfortunate exit.
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