Paris 2024: French Olympic diver slips off board in front of President
French Olympic diver Alexis Jandard experienced a mishap when he lost his balance on the springboard, resulting in an unexpected headfirst plunge into the pool.
This unfortunate incident occurred at a crucial moment, coinciding with the presence of France's President Emmanuel Macron. Jandard was participating in the inauguration of the newly constructed £154 million Aquatic Centre for Paris 2024, with Macron and other notable dignitaries in attendance.
French Olympic diver Alexis Jandard, 26, slipped and fell into the water as athletes performed in the inauguration ceremony of an Olympic aquatics centre north of Paris yesterday. In reply, he said: "Thanks for the support! For your information, my back is fine, but my ego…" pic.twitter.com/jtCcyyATfl
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 5, 2024
Macron formally inaugurated the venue in anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
Video footage capturing the moment has spread rapidly across social media platforms, showing Jandard with a red back. Despite the mishap, he maintained good humour and shared a post on social media with the caption: "j'ai glissé chef," translated as "I slipped, boss."
First published: 5 April 2024, 17:46 IST