Many athletes are living out their Olympic dreams in Paris — while others on TikTok are showing off why they didn’t make the cut.
In what’s now become a viral trend, dozens of people online are posting videos of times when their various athletic endeavors have gone awry, joking it’s “Why I didn’t make it to the Olympics.”
Those partaking in the trend have often used a remixed version of the American national anthem called “Star Bangled (Bass Boosted)” as the sound to accompany their footage. More than 250,000 people have used the audio as of Monday afternoon, though not all videos are linked to the trend itself.
Many have placed text over throwback videos of themselves partaking in various sports that are part of the Games, joking that they are “sorry to announce” or “sad to report” before the footage showcased why they very obviously were not selected to compete.
One of the more popular videos demonstrating the trend has been viewed more than 85 million times. In it, a woman who appears to be participating in a diving competition is seen diving into the water backward.
In the caption of the video, which was flooded with thousands of comments from people who found it hilarious, she joked: “maybe next year.”
“The way I would’ve stayed in the bottom of the pool until everyone left,” one person commented.
@funnymanstan #stitch with @ If a participation award was a dude. #olympics #basketball #usabasketball #jjreddick #whitemen #whitemencantjump
Many others who posted their videos also showcased their not-so-graceful moments while taking part in various sports.
One person said she, like Team USA gymnast Simone Biles in 2021, experienced the “twisties,” which caused her to miss her landing during a floor routine. The ‘twisties“ is when a gymnast loses spatial awareness midair and can’t judge when and where to land.
Another TikTok user posted a video that showed a person gearing up for a floor routine, and instead performing a simple somersault and half a cartwheel.
The 2024 Paris Olympics have been rife with viral moments, with many at home watching the Games while also posting obsessively on social media.
While it’s unclear who kicked off the “Why I didn’t make it to the Olympics” trend, as of Monday it had become so widespread that even actress Jennifer Garner participated.
In the video, Garner is seen attempting to jump up on a set of boxes. But instead of landing on her feet as intended, she lands on her knees, causing her to burst out laughing.
Like others, she put text over the video that read: “Sad to announce I didn’t make the cut for Paris 2024,” and added a broken heart emoji.
