TEAM GB star Holly Bradshaw broke down in tears after making a huge blunder in the pole vault.
The 32-year-old won bronze at the last Olympics – but it was heartbreak in Paris as she suffered a nightmare elimination.
On her third and final attempt in qualification for the final, Bradshaw had it all to do after failing with her two previous efforts.
The bar was set at 4.40m and she needed to clear it to keep her medal dreams alive.
But it was disaster for the former British record holder as she came closer to falling into a cameraman rather than the mat.
She failed to build-up enough acceleration and bailed while on her way up over the bar.
Bradshaw crashed down before even getting close to high enough, falling to the right.
The athlete ended up landing on the grass – narrowly avoiding a painful collision with the TV camera.
Bradshaw picked herself up but was overcome with emotion as she broke down in tears.
While putting her pole away, the Preston-born star began to cry on the floor.
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She was consoled by fellow Brit Molly Caudery, who later suffered her own nightmare in the French capital.
Back in Tokyo, Bradshaw cleared 4.85m to come third.
But Paris was her last ever attempt at Olympics glory and she opened up on her disaster, saying: “I am just crushed. I knew this was going to be my last Champs.
“I am heartbroken. It’s been a really hard year and I wanted to come out and do myself proud – but I really feel like I haven’t.
“It was the first time I was pain free all year.
“I don’t really know what happened, I know it sounds daft but the track, the environment and everything was too good. I was caught on the back foot, which is frustrating.
“Mainly, I just wanted to come out and do my dad proud, he passed away in November. I really hope I did that although it didn’t go well.”
Team GB‘s pole vaulting hopes were then on the shoulders of possible medal winner Caudery in the second qualifying group.
But the world No1’s dreams were also shattered.
Caudery passed at the two opening heights, backing herself to clear the 4.55m which would have been enough to qualify for the final.
Yet it did not happen for her, despite having cleared 4.92m a few weeks ago.
It was head in hands for the 24-year-old as tears started to flow even as she tried to applaud the crowd.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Keely Hodgkinson is among the favourites to win gold in the women’s 800m final (8.45pm), three years on from silver in Tokyo.
Kimberley Woods, Mallory Franklin and Joe Clarke could secure a triple-header in the maiden Olympic kayak cross finals (3.55pm).
GB will hope to retain their triathlon mixed relay (7am) and the women’s cycling team sprint (6.55pm) offers a real medal chance on the opening day in the velodrome.
BRITS TO WATCH
The sport climbing gets underway with four Brits – Hamish McArthur and 19-year-old sensation Toby Roberts starting with their bouldering in the boulder and lead event (9am).
And the women’s hockey team face a nightmare quarter-final against the all-conquering Dutch (4.30pm).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis will try and break his own latest world record once again in the men’s paul vault final (6pm).
The men’s football reaches the semi-finals with hosts France facing Egypt (8pm) after Spain vs Morocco (5pm).
And this will be the last we see of Simone Biles in Paris. She is set to go in the women’s balance beam (11.30am) and floor finals (1.20pm).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
It is the final day for both the 3×3 basketball and the surfing.
The 3×3 basketball finishes with the gold medal matches from 9pm at La Concorde.
Over in Tahiti, Gabriel Medina appeared to defy gravity with THAT incredible levitating photo and has a shot at gold today.
STATS MAD
0 – A rule change to the artistic swimming (formerly synchronised swimming) means men are now able to compete in the team event for the first time in Olympics history… but the new legislation only came in 18 months and precisely ZERO males were selected.
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
