Chari Hawkins got all the attention at the Paris Games, but it wasn’t the kind of attention she wanted to see.
U.S. heptathletes were in uproar at the Stade de France on Thursday after an in-competition call in the high jump, the second event in the heptathlon, went wrong and appeared to dim their Olympic medal hopes.
Hawkins made three attempts at the 1.71 meter mark but failed to clear any of them, resulting in a “no height” – meaning he received no points.
The 33-year-old, who was making her Olympic debut, was caught on shocking video crying hysterically and visibly shaking, causing an internet frenzy.
In the heptathlon high jump, the bar starts at a height of 1.56 metres and rises by three centimetres each time the athlete clears it.
Hawkins finished the competition with no points, having elected not to record points for previously completed jumps in hopes of earning a higher score on his next jump.
“Oh my God. I don’t even know what to do. I’m just totally shocked,” Hawkins told reporters.
The former Utah State All-American placed fifth in the 100-meter hurdles, the first event of the day’s women’s heptathlon.
After a heart-stopping high jump finish, Hawkins returned to the purple track for the shot put, finishing 11th in Group B.
The Idaho native placed last among other heptathletes in Thursday’s competition but has another chance to improve her position in the long jump and javelin on Friday.
2024 Paris Olympics
Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson currently leads the women’s heptathlon, with two-time Olympic gold medalist Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium in second and Anna Hall of the U.S. team in third.
The social media star, who has more than 1 million followers on Instagram, qualified for her first Olympic Games by placing second in the heptathlon at the Olympic Trials in Oregon.
Hawkins cleared the bar 1.76 metres at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, finishing fourth.
