Warning: These Female Athlete Fails Are So Awful, You Can’t Look Away…
While many athletes strive for perfection, no one can actually attain that goal and we all have our share of embarrassing moments. No matter how much an athlete practices, accidents are unavoidable. However, it's far worse when they are caught on camera! Here are some of the most epic fails featuring women athletes.
Uh Oh, Miho
Professional speed skater Miho Takagi may seem cool and collected in this picture, but there is so much more than meets the eye. When it comes to sports, athletes' mindsets are far from their apparel and the way it appears, especially something as quick as speed skating. But in this case, Miho should have taken a second look at her outfit that day.... can you spot why?
Hopefully, onlookers were too distracted by her impeccable performance to notice this wardrobe faux pas!
Too Much Weight
20-year-old Genesis Gomez Rodriguez let the 106kg weight get the best of her after she competed and fainted with the weight above her head in the Pan Am Games in Ontario, Canada. She steadily and successfully lifted the weight above her head, before dropping it behind her and falling to the mat shortly thereafter. Had the weight not fallen behind her, it could have caused a serious injury.
Thank goodness Genesis made a quick recovery, but she had the world in quite a scare with this terrifying, dramatic, and potentially fatal incident. After recovering, Genesis successfully lifted the 109kg weight and ended up winning the silver medal.
That Will Leave A Bruise!
This is Russian figure skater Maya Khromykh, and her performance didn't get better after this tumble onto the ice. Here she is just flat out falling after failing to land a trick. It's safe to say she didn't make it to the podium.
Falling that hard on ice is definitely going to leave a bruise -- both on her body and with her ego. We just hope another athlete fell a little harder, just to make Maya feel a little bit better about herself.
A Falling Beauty
With such an elegant and beautiful outfit, and even a composed face, U.S. skater Gracie Gold did not live up to her last name at the 2014 Winter Olympics. With this epic failure of a fall, Gracie placed fourth in the competition – marking it the first time that the U.S. did not place with a medal since 1936. Tough luck Gracie, but at least you look beautiful! This goes to show that even practiced routines can go wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Adelina Sotnikova of Russia ended up coming out on top in that competition, much to the joy of the home crowd, since the event took place in Sochi.
The Real Winners
As the poster child for good sportsmanship, 5,000 meter New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin threw the race at the 2016 Olympics after accidentally being tripped by Abbey D’Agostino. Seeing that D'Agostino was down for the count, Hamblin went back and actually helped pick her up off of the track. As both runners proceeded with the race, it was obvious that D'Agostino had sustained a leg injury from the incident as she limped to the finish line.
Both runners were praised for their sportsmanship, even though Hamblin finished 16th and D'Agostino limped in at last place. When Hamblin first helped D'Agostino up after the initial incident, D'Agostino told reporters that her competitor told her, "Get up, get up, we have to finish this."
Ladies, This is Not the Time to Play Twister
Dominos are fun to stack up in a long row for the purpose of knocking them down. It is a very unique site to see a long row of about 500 dominoes all stacked up just to be knocked down. This is what is known as the domino effect. This means one thing starts a chain reaction to other things.
One unfortunate track runner just happened to be running and might have collided with another one. The other track runners just happened to experience the “domino effect” and they went tumbling down like a ton of bricks. This is quite embarrassing, isn’t it?
Again With The Hurdles
Sports bring joy, shame, victory and loss... but most of all fails! Ouch... we have seen some pretty nasty spills in this article, but this has to be worst hurdling one. Maybe it's the angle that captures the serious pain that girl is in or it's the actual fall, but we really feel for this serious fail.
For the sake of the runner in question, we can only hope that she recovered with grace and poise. Hopefully, she was able to finish the race and actually place, unlike the previous runner we mentioned who fell victim to those pesky hurdles.
Make It Rain
Although field hockey is one of the lesser-known sports in the world, it really tends to stand out in the Olympics with composite sticks, intense athletes and serious blocking like you see here.
In this picture, US player Rachel Dawson went head-to-head with New Zealand’s Anita Punt at the 2012 London Olympics as Rachel slipped on the wet astroturf. But these ladies powered through it, proving that women can work through whatever challenging conditions they may face when there is gold to be won.
Woman Overboard
When it comes to hurdling, there is always a possibility of tripping or stumbling over the equipment and poor Vania Stambolova knows exactly how this feels. Unfortunately, in this sport, it is practically impossible to continue competing after falling over a hurdle in such a fast-paced activity. This young Bulgarian had to admit defeat in 2012 due to this blunder, and it doesn't help that "Stambolova" sounds like "stumble".
What makes the incident even more embarrassing for the athlete was the fact that it was the very first hurdle! Although she got up unscathed by the mistake, it was too late to salvage her chances at placing in the competition.
Tai Down
Even badminton can get intense in the Olympics, which is why we see Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying flattened out like an athletic pancake here. We're not exactly sure how a racket game can result in this type of position, but it is clear that Tai was giving it everything she had. Unfortunately, she ended up "falling" short.
In March 2017, Tai made history "by becoming the first All-England badminton champion in any discipline from Chinese Taipei," saying, "I was very well-prepared for this match. I did a lot of work on defence. I am very happy that in this match I had a quick start, unlike my game before," reports The Straits Times.
Crash And Burn On Ice
This has got to be one of the worst crashes ever on ice. This seems to be a bit confusing on how someone could crash through a wall like this on ice. When one thinks of ice skating, you think of certain athletic moves and skillful maneuvers being performed on ice. When you have this type of coordination, you may be prone to a few mistakes, but nothing on a level of this caliber.
It seems like this ice skater may have somehow skated in a straight line and crashed through the wall. The worst thing about the image is that there is a spotlight pointing at the unfortunate woman.
The Comeback Kid
As one of the most famous comeback stories in the history of running, track runner Heather Dorniden took a hard fall in the 600m at the 2008 Big 10 Indoor Track Championships. Despite falling on her face in the last lap, Dorniden managed to not only catch up to her teammate and front runner, but finish first! Judging from first glance, you would not think that a fall like this could be the motivation to win, in fact, it looks like her face is being stepped on!
The fact that she got back up and ended up winning the race just proves how resilient female athletes of the world can be!
Here’s A New Dance Called the Ice Fall!
It is amazing to see someone balance themselves on one leg. It is very interesting to see someone lean back and try to balance themselves on one leg. Anais Morand has gone above and beyond athletic skill and grace as she has either created a new dance or she has mastered the art of balancing on ice.
Anais Morand was actually trying to balance herself from a fall. Her instincts kicked in and she made the whole "I’m gonna crash" face before she initially fell down. Some moments just seem funnier when they are caught at just the right moment.
The Big Set-Up
Sometimes it's not about the fail, it's all about the hilarious timing of a photo. This is Taylor Pischke, a female Canadian volleyball player. Not only is she frequently included in lists of the world's most beautiful athletes, but she's also extremely talented. She's won seven Canadian national titles!
You just can't beat the look of concentration on her face here during the Pan Am Games. She's keeping her eyes on the prize.
AJ Lee Had Enough
In the WWE SmackDown of 2014, it was Eva Marie and Natalya tag teaming against AJ Lee and Tamina Snuka. When Natalya was having it out against AJ Lee, it seemed that Lee wasn't able to handle the premeditated moves that Natalya was delivering.
For someone who enters into the profession of wrestling, you would think that they'd be able to handle some of the most uncomfortable positions, so watching Natalya twist and wrangle AJ, you'd expect her to fight back. But no, it seemed that AJ tapped out at the first chance she got. Maybe consider a different profession?
Relaying Difficulty
Relay like the women's 4x100 event requires speed, yes, but they also requires accuracy for a moment as simple as the passing of the baton. Even in that brief moment, things can go awry and often do. Here we see Allyson Felix getting bumped by one of the Brazilian track runners, causing her to drop the baton and ruin the chances for her team's success.
The look on Felix's face says it all: disappointment, devastation, and frustration. Because of the slight collision with the Brazilian runner, Felix failed to pass the baton to her teammate English Gardner. Maybe next time!
It Looks Like Someone Missed The Ball
Hand-eye coordination is the key to every athletic performance. One wrong move and it could cost an athlete a score. A football player could drop a ball due to bad hand-eye coordination and let their opponent score, or someone could get popped by a foul ball in the game of baseball due to bad hand-eye coordination. In the game of basketball, one bad dribble could cost you a point.
In the game of volleyball, one wrong move and you could either fall flat on your face, or in the image above, you could possibly get hit in the face and suffer utter embarrassment.
Hmm.. What Is Wrong With This Picture?
Every swimmer has to deal with tan lines, embarrassing or not, and they generally do not pay too much attention to their "miss-tanned" appearances, but this particular picture is a little hard to ignore. With what is definitely a bikini tan line, this swimmer rocks her one-piece with confidence.
If anything, this swimmer's tan lines only show the world that she knows how to have fun and relax in her spare time. But don't be mistaken—when it's game time, tan lines are the least of her concerns!
Russian Long Jumper Darya Klishina Has A Dirty Job
Hailing from Russia, Olympic long jumper Darya Klishina is an exceptional athlete. She first began competing in long jump when she was thirteen years old and has succeeded ever since.
Klishina has a silver medal in the world championships, a bronze in European championships, two gold medals in the European indoor championships and is also an Olympic Games finalist.
Moment Of A Lifetime At The London 2012 Olympic Games
Knowing the time, work, effort, and love she put into training for something as fleeting as the 1500m, Morgan Uceny is not accepting her choices in this picture.
After she fell, she laid on the track and stayed there well until the race was over, before finally getting up and leaving without a word. Terrence Mahon, Morgan's coach, told USA Today, "It was a tough one. Hard to handle when you do everything right and something like this happens to you."
It’s Playtime During Competition Time
There are some people who participate in athletics who believe that competition is not the most important part of the game and that having fun is what it's all about. You may be saying “how is this possible?” when it comes to international athletic competitions when medals are at stake.
People will not like their jobs if it doesn't not bring them some type of enjoyment. This also goes for athletes. Although the ladies in the image are in a competition of some kind, they are also having a little fun while doing it. Or maybe they're doing an impersonation of a fountain fish?
Watch Out!
Sporting events are not a place to be strolling around when there are athletes competing, and this girl learned her lesson. The look on the man in the left corner's face says it all when this female bystander ran into one of the competing athletes and ruined his chances at success.
Not only was the athlete in question probably disappointed and aggravated at the fact that he was denied a win because of this, but the woman who got in his way is also probably extremely embarrassed about the whole incident! Oops!
The Long, Hard Road to Victory
Cycling is one of the most exhilarating but intense and potentially dangerous sports around and can easily result in some nasty spills along the road... spills like the one we see here. One person going down could potentially be disastrous since they could get in the way of all the bikers behind them!
In this photo, we witness the collision between professional bikers Na Ah of South Korea and Fernanda da Silva Sousa of Brazil, which also led to a domino effect of destruction for other bikers in the race. While we have seen worse cases of this scenario, any incident like this in a bike race is pretty worrisome to watch!
Trampled In The Steeple
In this action shot, we see Portuguese runner Clarisse Cruz being nearly trampled in the Olympic event known as the steeplechase. This particular event is similar to a mini obstacle course that spreads out to 3000m and is considered one of the most difficult in the games. Clearly, there are "downfalls" to such a tricky event and Clarisse knows that better than anyone.
While the steeplechase is Cruz's specialty, she ended up finishing in 11th place that year with a final time of just over nine minutes and 32 seconds. We can only imagine how much better she would have placed had she not fallen!
She Hates To Lose
Serena Williams, would you like a glass of water to go along with that nasty tasting defeat? Considered to be one of the worst defeats for Serena in her entire career, Simona Halep handed Serena a plate full of humiliation and Serena definitely did not like the taste. You can tell by the look on her face!
After the match, Serena is quoted as telling the press, "I knew if I wanted to win this, I had to step it up in the third set. I knew that I could play a lot better, and I felt like I kind of lost my rhythm a little bit in the second set. Also, Simona started playing really well. She kept going for shots, and she did what she needed to do."
Floored....
Kazakhstan gymnast Moldir Azimbay does not look like she is having the greatest day in this shot, does she? Although this picture portrays a fall that was more serious and harmful than it ended up being, it is never good when an athlete takes a tumble during a floor performance like Moldir unfortunately did.
She was performing at the 2012 Olympic Games that were held in London. While this misstep may have cost Azimbay a medal that year, we just hope that she recovered mentally and physically, and that she didn't sustain any serious injuries from it. Just look at the way her neck is bent... Ouch!
Let It Go
Unfortunately for 2012 Olympic competitive weightlifter Maria Alexandra Escobar Guerrero, of Ecuador, weights of that caliber can sometimes be too difficult to manage without some type of bodily reaction. The young woman, unfortunately, dropped the weight during the event, but held her head high for such an embarrassing and public moment.
It has been Escobar's dream to win an Olympic medal and she's even competed in 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing, and 2012 in London. Unfortunately, she has yet to achieve her goal, but was still honored to represent her country in the opening ceremonies in those games.
Sally Pearson Gets the Bad End of the Stick
Sally Pearson is considered by many in the world of track and field to be one of the best hurdlers in the world. She is the 2011 world champion in the 100-meter hurdles. She is also an Olympic champion in the 100-meter hurdles, which she achieved in the 2012 Olympics. With these achievements it would seem like Sally Pearson would be the happiest person in her sport.
Sally Pearson has taken the bitter with the sweet when it comes to her performance in this race. The image shown displays a bitter moment that was caught on camera. She came up short in this track meet and it was not taken lightly.
U.F.G – An Unidentified Flying Gymnast
What exactly is going on here? Houston, we have a problem. This is no trick ladies and gentlemen. It seems like this gymnast is flying through the air. At the same time, it seems like she is falling. How do you fly and fall at the same time? This is beyond comprehension, but apparently, this gymnast seems to have rearranged the laws of gravity.
Along with bending the rules of gravity is the facial expression that reeks of an athletic fail. This image may be the thing that meme dreams are made of. Hopefully, she made a soft landing because it already looks painful going through the air.
Whatever You Do, Don’t Make Her Mad!
You have heard the old saying “a face only a mother could love.” I think this tennis player is even past that point. There are good days and bad days in every sport, and this woman seems to be past what is considered to be a bad day.
You may think of certain sports and anger going hand in hand, especially contact sports. You might have seen a football player getting into an argument with a referee or even getting into it with an opponent. Hockey is always associated with aggression as well. Tennis is usually not associated with anger on this type of level, but this woman is in Hulk mode.
Pass It On
Again with the baton blunders, USA runner Torri Edwards has a very disgusted look on her face as she attempted to pass the baton to her teammate Lauryn, but failed to get it there on the first try. With all of the training, pain, agony and effort that goes into physically preparing for an event like this, it is truly a travesty when something as easy as passing the button messes up the chances of gold.
This incident happened at the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing. Apparently, dropping the baton in this type of race is a frequent problem for American relay teams.
Out Of Breath
Women's weightlifting has to be one of the most challenging sports in the Olympics and requires years of training, placement, lifting, dieting, and much more than we even realize. Thailand's weightlifting athlete Rattikan Gulnoi is out of breath in this aerial shot after competing in the London Olympics in 2012. We cannot even imagine how tired she would be – look at that bar!
That year, Gulnoi originally finished in fourth place, but after Ukraine's Yuliya Kalina was disqualified for prohibited steroid use, Gulnoi was promoted and ended up earning the bronze medal. It seems that her look of exasperation was well-earned after all.
When Did Ice Skating Become Professional Wrestling?
Are there any wrestling fans out there? This seems like a new trend that could be starting in the world of sports. The combination of ice skating and wrestling may or may not work, but according to the image above, it is definitely worth giving a try.
Here we have two ice skaters. We have a lady holding a guy and all of a sudden she gives him a pile driver. A pile driver is a common move in the sport of wrestling and the lady has the right form in the image, but she probably did not know that a person’s head does not actually hit the ground when the move is performed correctly.
That’s My Ball, No, It’s My Ball
Teamwork is what it takes when an athlete and their team is trying to win. Everyone on the team participates to achieve one common goal and that is to have a W in the win column. Sometimes a little pain, or a lot of pain, could be involved when it comes to trying to get a w and avoid the dreaded l in the loss column.
These ladies understand the concept of teamwork. They are so dedicated to the teamwork concept, that they are having a difficult time trying to catch a fly ball. A little collision puts a new spin on the teamwork concept in the image above.
Where is the Crystal Ball?
Have you seen the new crystal ball? It is the most unique crystal ball in the world right now. You can see into the past, and also into the future. You can see just about anything through this new crystal ball. It is the new craze amongst athletes as well. Olympic athletes look into the ball and see if they are going to win or lose in their particular sports event.
The crystal ball has not failed anyone yet. It is 100% accurate. The swimmer in the photo above seems to be looking into the ball. Oh wait, there is nothing there. What’s going on? Only the swimmer in the photo knows.
Hey Look, Its Shark Girl
As mentioned before, an athlete in any event, should have fun while they are competing. Some people cannot hide their emotions as they are engaged in athletic performance. The image of the lady above is having so much fun it shows on her face.
This is just too funny. This swimmer is definitely enjoying the moment. The question is, what type of moment is she having? Is she diving or did she come out of the water like a fish jumps out of the water trying to catch a worm? Look at the expression. She is so overjoyed it is unbelievable.
She is Aiming for the Wrong Goal
We shouldn't have to say this, but the concept of soccer is to get the ball into the goal. The goal is at either end of the field. The goal has a huge net and it is guarded by a goalie. There seems to be a problem with this photo in which the woman who is kicking the ball needs a little assistance.
The lady kicking the ball is aiming for the referee’s hindquarters. Raising the ire of the referee is not likely to score her team any points, although in her defense it was probably a greatly miscalculated kick.
Morgan Down!
Famous track runner Morgan Uceny sadly lived one of her greatest nightmares at the 2012 Olympics at the feet and mercy of her competitors. According to a report by USA Today, "At the start of the final lap, the back kick of a Russian runner struck the inside of Uceny's left knee, causing the spill. She had run 1,100 meters on the inside of Lane 2, keeping herself out of a box and free to move when the pace quickened. Tactically, she had done everything to prevent such a calamity."
Tripping during the 1500m, Uceny missed out on the chance to bring gold, silver, or even bronze back to the US and will forever relive this simple and life-changing mistake in her head..
This Is Not The 400m Hurdles... Or Is It?
It’s our old friend Morgan Uceny again. She has been featured in this particular article which is all about fails that occur in the world of sports. She has been seen falling, and even beating on the track. It is understandable to be angry when you are a champion runner and all of a sudden you slip and fall.
What would happen if Morgan did not slip and fall on the track? She would have to make adjustments and treat the track as if they were the 400m hurdles. The only problem with the 100m hurdles is that you would need the actual hurdles to hurdle over to make the event complete.
A Shot Putter's Face Up Close
Things may appear to be different that what they actually are. The camera has a way of making someone look good or look bad. The shot put is perhaps one of the least known events in the Olympics, but it is one of the most challenging events.
You have to not only be strong in the shot put, but you have to be extremely coordinated. The lady in the image above is getting ready to throw the shot put. There is a lot of grunting and disgruntled faces involved when trying to throw the shot put. The woman in the image is putting her all into the throw. It seems scary in a way.
Falling On the Track Can Be Fun
Jemima Sumgong hits the track floor during one of those domino effect collisions. Another lady on the far right seems to have felt the domino effect, which actually looks more like an aftershock from an earthquake. These ladies are running at a speed of about 15 miles per hour, which may explain the whole aftershock effect.
Jemima Sungong was clipped by Aselefech Mergia. Jemima takes a hard fall to the floor. Look at the expression on Sungong’s face. She seems to take it all in stride. It appears that she is actually smiling as she is on the ground. She is trying to hide the embarrassment of the fail.
The Match With All The Mistakes
In a 2009 episode of RAW, Gail Kim and Mickie James were some big-league players who went head to head in a match that everyone expected to be good. Gail attempted a leap from the top turnbuckle, but fell to the ground and knocked herself out.
Although James showed a glimmer of sportsmanship, she seemed visibly frustrated that she wasn't able to put up a good, true fight against her opponent. As a result, she didn't' even get to perform any of her signature moves, which would have made for a great performance and given more validity to women's wrestling.
Hey, She’s Just Trying to Get a Grope, I Mean Grip!
Considering the women in this league are only cloaked with lingerie, helmets, pads and cleats, wardrobe malfunctions happen quite often. As #14 reaches for the beauty's grip on the ball, it seems as though she has succeeded at grasping at something other than the ball, like the sports bra of her opposing athlete.
Whoops! We're sure these ladies really thought nothing of it, as they clearly have looks of determination on their faces! Although, we can't say the same for any onlookers who may have secretly enjoyed the little show.
Look Out Below
Performing at the 2014 All-Around Women's final, Australian gymnast Olivia Vivian appears to have lost control on the balance beam. But, don't worry! Despite the terrified look on her face, Vivian managed to place fifth overall as the highest scoring Australian in the bunch with a score of 13!
The 27-year-old gymnast started her profession at just eight years old, claiming the uneven bars as her favorite apparatus. In 2008, she contributed the highest score of the Australian team at that year's Olympic games with a sixth-place finish. She even competed for Oregon State University in the NCAA gymnastics for four years.
Even Gabby
Even the great Gabrielle Douglas, a world champion gymnast, has known her fair share of defeat. No matter how many times a performance is practiced, there is always that chance that perfection will not be obtained. Just one little slip from something like a balance beam can make or break an athlete.
Unfortunately for Gabby, this was not among her best moments, but the athlete still held onto the beam with every ounce of her strength and is an inspiration to us all. Douglas is one shining example of how female athletes manage to maintain composure and grace in the face of a challenge.
Laying Down on the Job
Retired American gymnast Nastia Liukin wasn't having the greatest day at the Olympic trials back in 2012. Starting off on the unparalleled bars, Nastia was having what seemed to be a promising routine until she ended up face-first on the floor, "reaching" for the very goal she had just let slip through her fingers, literally.
In her defense, she had just ended her two-year sabbatical from the sport the summer before and was just recovering from shoulder injuries. Although she didn't make it to the next round, she collected herself and finished her routine with grace. The audience still gave her a standing ovation.
Don’t Blink or You Might Miss It!
Oh man... doesn't seeing someone in a position like this make you nervous?! Fortunately for these types of situations, years and years of training kick in almost instinctively. This was taken at the 2012 Olympic Games in London during the Women's Individual All-Around Gymnastics Final.
As much as it seems Romanian athlete Larisa Iordache is about to fall off of this beam, thanks to skill, practice, and talent, she was able to hold her balance. We're sure the viewers had a huge collective sigh of relief to see her regain her balance and finish the routine. Phew!
The Unbalanced Beam
You may see the chalk on the hands of some athletes in the Olympic games. The chalk is used so that an athlete can have a grip onto a bar, beam, or pole during a performance. Sometimes chalk helps and sometimes it does not.
In the case of Jennifer Pinches (how ironic that she has a name like Pinches), the chalk seems to have gotten wet. She was trying to hang on to victory but it just happened to slip when she was competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Maybe a little more chalk and a little less sweat will do next time.
Head Into Shoulders
It's not always easy to be graceful playing basketball. This is the perfect example. In going after a lose ball, one of the players dives head first into the shoulder of another.
That... probably left a mark. This is from a game between Indiana University and Iowa. The Hoosiers beat the Hawkeyes 89-90, but the real winner was the photographer who took this photo. Thank you for your service to the cause!
Making A Funny Face Adds Power
We're going to assume that this Cricket player is using proper form in this image, but did she have to make that face? Does it add power to her stroke as she bowls the ball?
At the very least, she would probably prefer a more flattering photo be taken. The again, she probably knows the benefit making this face gave her during the match. She probably grunted for a little extra oomph!
Is She Scared Of The Ball?
This goalie had one job to here, and she couldn't handle the responsibility. Here we have Alex Morgan of the US Women's National Team rocketing a ball towards the goal, and the Argentinian goalie appears to be trying to get out of the way.
The US women went on to win this match 6-0, which isn't surprising considering the questionable form of Solana Peryra on display here. Move towards the ball, not away from it!
With Our Powers Combined
This soccer lowlight features Emily Sonnett of the US Women's National Team and Marta of the Brazilian women's team. Going after the ball, they get tangled up, and we wouldn't be surprised if the moment that followed was a disaster.
This moment came during the 2021 SheBelieves Cup. The 2-0 victory made the pain worth it for Sonnett, and it extended the United States two year unbeaten streak in international soccer.
A Landing That'll Leave A Mark
Long jumping isn't what we would call a glamorous sport. These women aren't worried about sticking the landing, their more focused on just how far they can launch their bodies. That motivation leads to images like this, where Sarah McCarthy has a rough landing that is definitely going to leave a mark.
The good news is there are no style point in long jumping. So, even though the landing is more awkward that she probably would have liked, she won't lose any points for landing on her rear.
HELP!
The face here says it all. Nicole Cardano-Hillary was not ready to get the ball. Instantly being double teams by Michigan's defense only made matters worse. She's clearly screaming for help here, and we hope she got it!
If the final score is any indication, she may have. Indiana managed to pull out a victory over Michigan 70-65, making this moment one that will be quickly forgotten by her teammates.
CANNONBALL!
When long jumping, as we said, there is no such thing as a graceful landing. This impact fro Alexandra Yevstyunina makes it look more like she's doing a cannonball dive into a swimming pool than anything else.
Unfortunately, the sand isn't water, which likely led to a painful landing. This photo was taken at the 30th Russian Winter track and field tournament that was held as the CSKA Sports Complex.
Fighting For The Ball
In an effort to secure the rebound, these two female basketball players put their bodies on the line. They could have used a little more spatial awareness, though. Then one of them might have come down with the ball instead of this bone crunching moment.
This match featured the Butler Bulldogs and DePaul Blue Demons. If this is any indication of how things went, a lot of ice packs were used after the match.
Cat Scratch Fever
When in doubt, bring the cat claws out. The question here is this; is she celebrating or trying to look intimidating? She's smiling, which makes us lean toward celebration. Are celebratory claws really a thing?
The photographer wrote that this was part of a goal celebration during a match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Allecano. Te match took place in the fifth week of Primera Iberdrola, the women's Spanish league.
She May Have Pulled A Muscle
This might not be a total fail, but from the look on Maya Khromykh's face, she' clearly in pain. She might have even pulled a muscle performing this ice skating trick.
A person has to be really flexible to bring their leg up behind them that high. With how shark her skates are, she may have even given herself an unwanted haircut. Hopefully the pain was worth the reward when her score came in!
A Little To The Right
In an effort to win possession of the ball, these female athletes missed it entirely. The ball squeaked away to the right, while these three competitors crashed into each other. Their coaches couldn't have been very pleased.
This was a match between Atletico d Madrid and Real Sociedad from December 2020. This is not what any of these ladies wanted to get for Christmas. At least one of them would have preferred a goal instead of a bruise.
Just Like A Cat!
We're not sure if pretending you're a cat is really the best way to approach the vault jump.It's hard to tell if Beyza Ozen is leaping towards the vault, or if she just launched herself off of it.
From the angle, this looks like her point of attack, though. Runup on all four, then leap with grace. A perfect landing will make the silly buildup all worth it, especially if the trick lands her on the podium.
Protecting Her Nose
There is nothing easy about being a goalie, especially when you can't wear a protective face mask. Sandra Toft gets credit for both blocking this shot while simultaneously trying to protect her face.
It's a split second reaction that not only saves a goal, but also saves the goalie from a trip to the hospital. At the speed the ball can travel, it would do some real damage if she didn't pull off this amazing double save. It still looks funny, though!
