French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati‘s Olympic dream has ended for a NSFW reason.
At the men’s qualifying event at the Paris Olympics Aug. 3, the 21-year-old missed his target height and got his crotch caught on the crossbar, sending it crashing down to the mat. Ammirati, who reacted by holding the sides of his head upon his own landing, ultimately placed 15th in the contest.
“It’s a big disappointment” the first-time Olympian said in a statement posted by the French Athletics Federation. “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.”
Ammirati also reshared a tribute posted by French sports academy Envol but did not comment on the moment that helped knock him out of the competition, which went viral.
“We are proud of you @anthony_ammirati,” the academy’s Instagram post read in French. “Despite the last two physically disrupted weeks, you managed to be there, even if we are frustrated like you for this bar at 5m70. We wish you to live an unforgettable Olympic experience.”
