And just like that, Sunday’s Olympic Closing Ceremony ended the most woke and ridiculed Olympic Games, perhaps ever.
But between a blasphemous Opening Ceremony, a highly debated boxing controversy, less-than-ideal athlete living conditions, a polluted river, and more, there were still moments that brought the world together.
They just didn’t all happen at the Games.
For the past two weeks, social media has been overrun with one trend that is uniting people from around the world: I did not make the Olympic team.
To those who don’t know, this trend involves people uploading videos of their fails in sports that Olympic athletes compete — and excel — in.
From gymnastics to track to diving, videos swiftly began circulating of ordinary people doing not-so-extraordinary things.
One X thread compiled some of the more popular videos:
2/10 pic.twitter.com/Q9dqsRpWro
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) August 3, 2024
“This ‘unfortunately I did not make the 2024 Olympic team’ trend has my CRYING,” the user wrote at the start of the thread, with a video (which had over 19 million views) of a less than spectacular dive into a swimming pool.
What followed was a series of gymnastics, diving, and track videos that serve to highlight how skilled Olympic athletes truly are.
4/10 pic.twitter.com/LijcTNFhSZ
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) August 3, 2024
6/10 pic.twitter.com/GRe9zHTIL4
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) August 3, 2024
8/10 pic.twitter.com/tsakY2k9rV
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) August 3, 2024
9/10 pic.twitter.com/4dQsoLTwpC
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) August 3, 2024
Even actual Olympic athletes got in on the trend. Maggie Steffens and Ashleigh Johnson of the USA women’s water polo team helped make one video.
Sad to announce I did not make the Olympic water polo team. Maggie Steffens and Ashleigh Johnson are going to crush for Team USA tho 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/XNbEPKVYKJ
— Scott Evans (@iamscottevans) August 7, 2024
And the mascot of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors displayed less than stellar skills while attempting to do a routine on the balance beam and dunk a basketball.
Unfortunately I did not make the 2024 Olympic Team!! #WeTheNorth @Raptors #RaptorRewind pic.twitter.com/URYsS4Yd5B
— The Raptor (@the_raptor) August 3, 2024
Users around the world shared, liked, and came together, which is something beautiful to see in a world that is less than united.