Ammirati was left in the 12th spot for his group, managing a leap of 5.60m. The incident led to his Olympic aspirations being squashed, and he talked to the French Athletics Federation about his mental state during that pivotal moment.
"It's a big disappointment," admitted Ammirati. The young athlete, still just 21, also mentioned this was one of the rare times he wasn't plagued by nerves during his jumps and was tantalizingly close to achieving what he set out to do.
"I'm a bit gutted, because I didn't miss anything on the third attempt at 5.70m," he continued. He reflected on missing some crucial practice jumps due to a minor injury.
"What I did miss was a bit of jumping in training to fine-tune the settings. Just a technical session. I had to give up the last two, because of a small grade 1 in the adductor, I prioritized the race."
He conveyed that while his physical fitness was on point, his actual vaulting preparation fell short. "I was 100 per cent physically, but I was missing a bit of pole vault. 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 public. I was almost there."
Ammirati's defeat came as a shock, given that the French pole vaulter had clinched gold at the World Athletics U20 Championships just two years prior to his Paris appearance. The 21-year-old didn't mention his manhood obstructing his path to Olympic glory, and the commentators analysing the slow-motion replay of Ammirati's attempt could only hint that the issue arose "on the way down."
French sports academy Envol was quick to show support for the young star after his attempt went wrong. "We are proud of you @anthony_ammirati," read their Instagram post in French, which Ammirati shared on his personal account.
"Despite the last two physically disrupted weeks, you've 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."
Despite Ammirati's unfortunate loss by mere inches, social media users had a field day, albeit at Ammirati's expense. Many argued that although the Frenchman had lost in the most significant moment of his life, he was winning outside of sports.
"French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati fails to medal after his Male organs knocked the bar over," one X user posted. "Wow, even though he lost the game, in a way, he won his life."
Additionally, social media users claim Ammirati gained 100,000 followers on Instagram following his unfortunate loss.
Thibaut Collet, who also attempted the event with Ammirati, shared his feelings about missing out on an opportunity in front of a home crowd.
"When people say that the Games are different, well, it really is different," he said, highlighting how deeply the loss had affected him.
"Today, I missed my competition. I knew that this qualification was going to be tough and now I'm taking it in the face. The Olympic Games are over. I'm going to pack my bags before going home," he concluded.
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