French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has spoken out after his masculinity appeared to prevent him from winning a medal at the Olympic Games this weekend.
Ammirati looked set to jump 5.70 metres until a sensitive body part prevented him from doing so on his third attempt on Saturday, prompting hilarious reactions from viewers on social media.
After the viral moment, the 21-year-old admitted how frustrated he was about not winning a medal in Paris.
“I’m a little disappointed because on the third attempt at 5.70 metres I didn’t miss anything,” he told the French Athletics Federation website.
‘I was physically 100 percent, but I missed a small post.’
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has spoken out after his masculinity appeared to prevent him from winning a medal at the Olympic Games
Ammirati’s unfortunate blunder quickly went viral on social media, with fans in stitches as his genitals cost him a podium spot.
“Anthony Ammirati failed the bar and the commentators are already having a hard time acknowledging what happened. Help, I’m dying,” one user posted on X.
“Bad luck, but also a good flex,” another noted.
“The best way to lose… man’s ego is still there,” said someone else.
“Oh, he brought that baguette to the games,” said one fan.
Ammirati had already cleared two heights before his manliness ruined his score, eventually finishing 12th with a height of 5.60 in Group A.
Robin Emig and Thibault Collet – compatriots of Ammirati – registered heights of 5.60 meters and 5.75 meters respectively.
Ammirati suffered an unfortunate accident on Saturday on his way to twelfth place
The 21-year-old admitted he was disappointed after missing out on a medal in Paris
Collet, who in June became the third-best French athlete in pole vault history after clearing the bar with a height of 5.95 metres, said of his performance on Saturday: ‘When people say the Games are different, they are different.
‘I thought it wouldn’t necessarily affect me if I came into the third world with the potentially best performance of the year, but that doesn’t mean anything.
‘Today I missed my match. I knew this qualification would be tough and now I’m taking it in my face.
“The Olympics are over. I’m going to pack my bags before I go home.”
The pole vault final will now take place on Monday.