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Sameer Naik

6 August 2024

"Why I didn't make it to the Olympics": the hilarious viral trend

In what's now become a viral trend, dozens of people online are posting videos of times when their various athletic endeavours have gone awry, joking that this is the reason they didn't make it to the Olympics.

While some athletes are realising Olympic dreams on the grand stage of Paris, others are taking to TikTok to hilariously explain why they didn't make the cut.

An online trend features individuals sharing cringe-worthy athletic fails, playfully labeled as "Why I Didn't Make It to the Olympics."

To underscore the comedic effect, many users synchronise their videos to a remixed, upbeat version of the American national anthem.

Since its inception, the trend has exploded in popularity, with the accompanying an audio track used in more than 250 000 TikTok clips.

One particularly viral video, garnering a staggering 85 million views, depicts a woman's disastrous backward dive.

The caption simply reads "maybe next year." TikTok users were quick to share their amusement, with one suggesting she might have preferred staying submerged until the pool emptied.

Numerous other TikTokers have joined the fun, sharing their own athletic blunders. One user humorously compared their experience to Simone Biles's infamous "twisties," a disorienting phenomenon that plagued the gymnast during the 2021 Olympics.

Another video showcases a would-be gymnast's ambitious plan for a floor routine ending abruptly in a simple somersault and half-cartwheel.

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