While Anthony Ammirati didn’t earn a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he became an overnight internet sensation after his “big bulge” got in the way of his success.
The French pole vaulter was competing in the summer games on Aug. 3 when he knocked down a crossbar in the semifinals after it got caught on his penis.
Though the mishap left the first-time Olympian “disappointed” as he was eliminated, fans have been eager to learn more about him.
He started pole vaulting at 12
Ammirati’s hobby-turned-career kicked off when he was a pre-teen after he saw a girl practicing the sport.
“I started pole vaulting at 12 because a girl in my club was doing it. I saw her jump and absolutely wanted to try it,” he said in an interview, per Olympics.com.
It wasn’t long until he was addicted to the thrill of it.
“What I appreciate most about this discipline is the adrenaline,” he continued. “You never get bored during training. Gymnastics, jumping, weightlifting, running. We don’t just focus on technical pole vault sessions. I enjoy this variety.”
He’s a reserve police officer
When he’s not on the field, Ammirati works with the French National Police as a reserve police officer.
“I have always loved the police, I have many close friends who work in this sector,” he told the French news outlet Police Nationale in February 2024. “I like order to be respected and to help others.”
He’s been employed as an officer since 2023.
He lives in Clermont-Ferrand
He lives in Clermont-Ferrand
Ammirati moved to the French city of Clermont-Ferrand for pole vault training in 2021. He later became involved in Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie’s Envol Club in 2023.
Talking to France’s La Montagne news outlet in February 2023, he explained that his mentor, Gérard Vialette, pushed him to relocate to Clermont-Ferrand and train with former Olympian Philippe d’Encausse, per Us Weekly.
“I was fortunate to have an excellent mentor, Gérard Vialette, who once told me, ‘Listen, Anthony, I have nothing more to teach you. You need to go to the best; there’s no one better than Philippe d’Encausse,’” he explained.
He has a philanthropist’s heart
The athlete has notably taken time to give back to his community and, in April 2023, he went back to his former school to encourage students to play sports.
Per Ammirati’s Instagram, he returned to his old stomping grounds for a week to help aspiring pole vaulters with their performance and technique.
“I hope the desire to play sports and why not the ambition to reach the top level!” he captioned a series of snaps.
He’s a World U20 Champion
Ammirati may not have taken home Olympic gold but he already has a few medals from other pole vaulting competitions.
The officer won the title of the European U20 Champion in 2021 and the World U20 Champion in 2022.
He also came in fifth in the 2023 European U23 Championships.
He’s been offered to appear on an adult website
