Variety

Paris Olympics’ Most Viral Stars: The Bulge, Turkey’s John Wick and Pommel Horse Pro

By Alex Ritman,

6 hours ago

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Gold medals are great and everything, but how many athletes will be returning home from the Olympics with the entire world knowing about their impressively sized manhood? French pole-vaulter Anthony Ammirati became an instant viral phenomenon for an incident in which it seemed as if his bulge — and only his bulge — failed to clear the bar. While he may be the only Olympian to have shot to fame for that particular issue in Paris, there have been several other online sensations created at the Olympics, including a super chill Turkish shooter and a muffin-loving swimmer. Here are Variety ‘s top 5 most viral stars.

Yusuf Dikec, aka Turkish John Wick

Keanu Reeves’ deadly assassin was unwittingly dragged into the 2024 Olympics thanks to a Turkish shooter. Yusuf Dikec probably had little idea that he’d become a viral sensation when he stepped up to compete in the mixed team 10-metre air pistol event, but within hours of the event on Tuesday, a photo of his casual attire and nonchalant one-hand-in-pocket demeanor was bouncing merrily around the world. Whereas most shooters don visors, chunky ear-defenders and special shooting lenses that shut out distractions, here was Dikec looking down the barrel of his gun with just a standard pair of glasses and solitary yellow ear plug (all while wearing what looked like a standard t-shirt). And he would go on to help him team win silver. Many memes would follow underlining such a badass approach, but the best was to come when he posted a picture of him snuggling up to his pet cat. As one X user noted: “If something ever happens to that cat we’re about to get 4 movies out of this guy.”

Stephen Nedoroscik, aka Pommel Horse Guy

He came, he saw, he pommeled. While Simone Biles may have been the star of the show, Team USA found an unlikely gymnastics hero in Stephen Nedoroscik, a Penn State alum with a degree in electrical engineering whose hobbies include timing himself solving Rubik’s Cubes. He also happens to specialize in one other apparatus — his sole reason for being in Paris and one he thankfully, absolutely nailed. As one X user put it, he “pommeled the hell out of a horse,” helping the men’s team to their first individual medal since 2016. Shots of Nedoroscik waiting for his (spectacular) turn with eyes closed and glasses on produced a barrage of memes, while his removal of spectacles to become the newly-crowned “Pommel Horse Guy” were soon compared to Clark Kent’s transformation from nerdy news reporter to Superman. Biopic writers are no-doubt already on the case.

Kayak Cross, aka Mario Kart With Boats

Every Olympics needs an event that, to the untrained eye, seems to be more about pure joyous chaos than expertly executed sporting prowess. In the Winter Olympics, it’s the snowboard cross, whereas in Paris the lunacy has shifted to water for the kayak cross. Four competitors are essentially dropped into the water from a 2-meter height and then must navigate themselves down a 210-meter whitewater course with hurdles including buoys they have to go around, an eskimo roll they must complete and — most importantly — each other’s kayaks. Despite the clear paddling skills of everyone involved, the races often appeared to turn into a watery version of bumper cars, or ‘Mario Kart With Boats’ as has been described on social media, with competitors regularly ramming into each other out. It’s absolute carnage (but wild to watch).

Henrik Christiansen, aka Muffin Man

Most Olympics athletes have been posting about their experiences in Paris on social media, but nobody could match Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen in making his online content so muffin-heavy. Christiansen’s TikTok account essentially transformed into a love letter to the chocolatey baked good available to athletes in the Olympic village. Among the 15 or so videos posted was one in which he declared himself to be the “Olympic Muffin Man.” It featured an audio clip from “Shrek” in which the Gingerbread Man asks “Do you know the Muffin Man?” Sadly Christiansen didn’t make it out of the heats for the men’s 1500m freestyle. Muffins weren’t blamed for the result.

Anthony Ammirati, aka Olympic Baguette

In what may end up becoming the defining image of Paris 2024, French pole-vaulter Anthony Ammirati failed to clear 5.70m — and thus failed to qualify for the final — because of what appeared to be a large bulge in his tight pants, a large bulge which knocked the bar from its perch and sent thousands of internet comedians into immediate overdrive. “When you’re about to win an Olympic medal but your massive d*ck gets in the way while the whole world watches in slow motion,” “Oh, he brought that baguette to the game,” and “I see big things in his future,” were just some of the many, many posts on X. As was “Spend a decade training. Counting every calorie. Measuring every vital. Getting 8.15 hours of sleep every night. Only to lose out on an Olympic medal because your dong wasn’t tucked. Devastating.”