The Olympics are full of ups and downs, and with thousands of athletes arriving in Paris, it’s no surprise that some have suffered a setback.
Many athletes at the games have had to endure dismal weather conditions, which have particularly affected cycling races and led to some cyclists even ending up in surgery.
Those on the diving board have suffered some nasty slips when launching themselves from great heights, and some have fallen to the ground hitting their backs.
In more humorous cases, athletes have suffered embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions, including A surfer competing in French Polynesia for the Olympics ended up showing his backside live on camera.
From diving disasters to cyclist crashes, MailOnline looks at some of the most serious accidents and life-threatening situations at the Games so far.
Australian diver Annabelle Smith ‘screamed underwater’ after slipping on a diving board, losing her bronze medal
American gymnast Bradley Malone fell off the pommel horse and high bar, missing out on a chance to compete in Wednesday’s final
Australian diver Annabelle Smith ‘screamed underwater’ after slipping on a diving board, losing her and her synchronised diving partner Maddi Keeney the bronze medal.
Australia was battling the United States, and the yellow and green were preparing to win bronze. However, a slip on the board (and, consequently, a lack of synchronization in the routine) caused them to fall to fifth place.
“I screamed underwater. I was hoping the underwater camera wasn’t on. It’s a disappointment, a big disappointment,” Smith said afterwards.
“Yeah, it was pretty brutal. I can’t change it now, so there’s no point in thinking about it anymore,” the Melbourne man added, after his tears had subsided.
“Really, these things happen. They happen to the best and unfortunately today was my day. However, I must not let it define me. We have done incredible things over these 10 years.”
Meanwhile, a large number of cyclists fell off their bikes on the first morning of the Paris Olympics, as participants struggled to cope with miserable rainy conditions.
American athlete Taylor Knibb was left red-faced after slipping four times during the women’s road cycling time trials.
American team rider Taylor Knibb lost control while taking a turn, fell to the ground and skidded for several moments before getting back on his bike.
She was soon followed by her mechanic, who also slid onto the road as he rushed to give the motorcyclist a new bike.
Later in the race, his mechanic also fell and flew onto the road as he rushed to give the rider a new bike.
But Knibb wasn’t the only one to suffer a fall. Chloe Dygert slipped and fell during the race.
At first, Danish rider Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig slipped on her left side before carefully getting back on her bike.
However, injuries to other riders were not so easily overlooked. French rider Loana Lecomte suffered a terrible crash during the women’s mountain cross-country race on Sunday.
The 24-year-old flew over the handlebars as she descended a technical and rocky section of the Elancourt Hill course.
The athlete appeared to lose consciousness momentarily after hitting her head against a rock and being hit by her bike.
Paramedics and medics rushed to her aid as television cameras stopped recording the horrific accident. No replays of the incident were shown out of concern for Lecomte’s welfare.
Loana Lecomte crashed heavily and appeared to hit her head on a rock garden while she was in the second group on the course chasing her compatriot and eventual winner Pauline Ferrand-Prevot.
Lecomte was visibly shaken and appeared to briefly fall unconscious before being carried away on a stretcher.
Lecomte’s coach told French television that he had “facial trauma” but that ultimately his condition “would not be serious” before defiantly declaring that “he will recover and come back stronger.”
Fortunately, her injuries were not as serious as expected and she was later photographed with bandages on her arm and a smiling face alongside her trainer.
However, Australian cyclist Luke Plapp, 23, from Victoria, had to be rushed to hospital after suffering a crash during testing in Paris on Sunday.
Upon reaching the 13.1km checkpoint, he fell off his bike in the rain in Paris and hit his head on the ground.
He was rushed to hospital for abdominal surgery but has since posted a photo smiling in his hospital gown.
Meanwhile, in the gymnastics arena, American star Brody Malone, 24, fell from a pommel horse before suffering a mishap on the high bar.
German Tim Elter had a wardrobe malfunction while taking part in a surfing event in French Polynesia
While going to swim under an incoming wave, she ended up covering her butt for everyone to see.
When she jumped as part of her routine, she failed to grab onto the bar and instead fell to the ground, putting a nail in the coffin of her dream of competing at this year’s Olympics.
In a more humorous mishap, German Tim Elter had a wardrobe malfunction while participating in a surfing event in French Polynesia.
When the 20-year-old went to dive beneath an incoming wave, he ended up leaving his backside exposed for everyone to see.
“Let’s just say there was a full moon during this Olympic surfing competition,” one joked.
“I didn’t know moon diving was a sport,” another added, while a third said: “Here’s a live look at Tim Elter’s best move so far: the moon diving.”
But that was not enough to deter Elter as he took part in the first series in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, more than 10,000 miles from Paris.
Some athletes really had to push themselves to the finish line when a catastrophe occurred during their events.
In yesterday’s mountain bike race, Candice Lille’s rear wheel exploded on the course and she was dragged behind her bike like a burst balloon.
In yesterday’s mountain bike race, Candice Lille’s rear wheel exploded on the course.
In tragic scenes, the cyclist was seen removing the broken machine from the course.
In another event, while a cyclist was slowing down to change bikes due to a problem, a male support rider was seen charging into the ground and falling to the ground.
In tragic scenes, the cyclist was seen removing the damaged machine from the course.
At another cycling event there were calamitous scenes when a member of the US team’s support crew made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
As one cyclist slowed down to change to a new bike due to a problem, a male support rider was seen charging forward and falling to the ground destroying the new bike in the process.
Fortunately, the man later got up, apparently unharmed.
