Featured Image Credit: BBC
Topics: Olympics, Gymnastics, Injury
Marcus Banks
BBC commentators were left shocked by an incident at the Paris Olympic Games that could have been extremely serious.
Day 4 of the summer’s games are well underway with China currently topping the medal table at the time of writing.
Commentators were left shocked during the men’s all-round gymnastic finals after an equipment failure left one athlete at risk of serious injury.
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Canadian gymnast Felix Dolci was competing when his handguard split in the second round and he was flung to the ground following the malfunction.
BBC commentator Matt Baker said: “Oh dear me. His hand guard has split. Well goodness me.
“I tell you what, he did incredibly well there, he could've caused himself a very, very nasty injury.
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“Hopefully he's alright. He's going to need some time because that will have been an unbelievable shock to him. There's an obvious technical error there isn't there.
"Oh my goodness me, Felix. Unbelievable. This happens in the training gym but I have never seen that in a competition."
Dolci was allowed another attempt under official Olympics rules as the incident was not directly his fault.
Unfortunately due to the injury he sustained, Dolci was cruelly unable to post a competitive score in the competition.
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Baker added: “Huge respect on every level for Felix Dolci. His competition was going so, so well. It is so unlucky for him [that he fell]. What a shame.”
It was the Quebec native’s first Olympic games after winning a pair of silver medals in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Speaking before the games, Dolci admitted there would be no room for error in Paris if he wanted to earn a medal.
“Paris is different. There’s no room for mistakes,” he told Sharp Magazine. “If I want a medal, I have to be perfect. It’s another game entirely.
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“I’m looking forward to the challenge."