How One French Pole Vaulter’s Crotch Knocked Him Out of the Olympics But Turns Him Into an Overnight Sensation

Anthony Ammirati, a pole vaulter for the French national team, encountered an unusual setback at the 2024 Paris Olympics: his private parts caught on the bar, leading to his elimination. Despite this mishap, Ammirati’s social media following has surged rapidly. His unexpected exit has sparked increased public interest and sympathy, translating into a significant increase in his fans.

Ammirati was eliminated for a rather embarrassing reason during the men’s pole vault preliminaries held at Stade de France in Paris, France, on August 3.

Amirati needed to clear a height of 5.70 meters to advance to the finals. He successfully cleared the bar on his third attempt. However, during his descent, his private parts caught on the bar, causing it to fall to the ground and preventing him from advancing to the finals.

Most media outlets reported that Ammirati was eliminated because his private parts were caught on the bar. However, some media outlets mentioned that the bar had already fallen after catching his shin before his private parts got caught.

Ammirati’s unfortunate moment quickly went viral online, mainly due to the unusual circumstances surrounding his disqualification. He became an overnight sensation.

Ammirati’s Instagram followers, which numbered 8,000 before the event, surged to 90,000 in just one day after the competition and then to 160,000 two days later.

The pole vault is a dynamic event in athletics where athletes use a pole to clear heights. It consists of a run-up, planting the pole, lifting the body, and landing. Athletes convert the speed gained during the run-up into height as they launch themselves over the bar.

It was officially adopted as an event in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Initially, athletes used wooden poles, but technological advancements introduced stronger and lighter materials, such as fiberglass and carbon fiber, significantly improving athletes’ records.