Norwegian pole vaulter Embla Matilde Njerve has been trending online during the current Olympic Games, but fans will likely be embarrassed after finding something out.
Pole vaulters have been a popular show at these games, and not just for their pole vaulting prowess. One athlete went viral after his shaft prevented him from qualifying by latching onto the bar, while another did the rounds because she celebrated by twerking.
Pole vaulting is done at the Olympics, with Mondo Duplantis of Sweden winning the men’s competition and Australian Nina Kennedy winning the women’s. Still, Njerve is the one who’s been attracting most of the attention on social media.
There’s one problem, however. The Norway international was never at the Olympics.
The videos of her vault circulating online aren’t from the games. They’re from the European Under-18 competition that took place in Slovakia earlier this year.
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Embla Matilde Njerve Might Actually Be At The Games In 2028
Embla Matilde Njerve, who turned 17 in 2024, spoke about representing her country in the tournament, describing it as an honor.
“An honor to represent Norway in Slovakia,” she said. “An experience that will not be forgotten. Big thanks to the support apparatus around me who make this possible.”
Despite this, the Norwegian went viral during the Olympics, with many thinking she was competing in Paris.
Who knows, though? We might see her at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She will be 21 then and likely in her prime.
Sorry to disappoint; Embla Matilde Njerve’s only Olympic participation was as a spectator, like most of us.
