'Absolutely devastating' - Awkward moment as modern pentathlete Mariana Arceo continues showjumping despite elimination

Viewers cringed as unfortunate Mexican Mariana Arceo was eliminated from the showjumping discipline in the modern pentathlon because she started her display before the bell, but continued the routine to completion. To make matters even more awkward, the 30-year-old did not realise she had been disqualified and mistook the encouragement from the crowd for applause as she waved back in celebration.

Mariana Arceo was swiftly eliminated from the show jumping discipline during the modern pentathlon because she started her routine too early, but that did not stop the unsuspecting Mexican from finishing her display, making for very awkward viewing.

The 30-year-old revelled in the applause from the crowd following her illegal routine, except they were not clapping in congratulation, but rather cheering sympathetically in support of the poor athlete.

However, Arceo waved back and smiled, believing she had put on a show at Chateau de Versailles and had clearly not heard the continuous loud bells to indicate that her run would not count.

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"She did go just before the bell, we’ll wait and see," Eurosport commentator Heather Fell said. "That is the reason for that second bell and she’s going to have to stop there and could risk elimination.

"She seems to be continuing at the moment, I’m not sure if she’s just in the zone, but the athlete must wait for the bell to ring before they can go through the starting gates, so this is not a great start, even though it is a beautiful round so far for Arceo."

Fell continued to respond as the awkward moments unfolded: "This is so sad to watch because she’s having such a beautiful round but she hasn’t realised.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

"This is going to be elimination even though she would have thought she’s gone clear. Absolutely devastating."

The message, “rider began the course before the bell, she will be eliminated”, was cast over the tannoy, which was met by boos from those in attendance, followed by applause for Arceo, who remained totally unaware as she blissfully trotted around the course.

She finished her routine – which would have scored excellently – and responded to the support from the crowd, celebrating her routine in a cringeworthy moment.

Despite her efforts, Arceo scored zero points in the show jumping, which means she is likely out of medal contention.

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With the top nine pentathletes from semi-final B set to advance to the final, Arceo is bottom of the pile in 18th after two events and just 193 points to her name.

She is 312 points adrift of ninth place Gintare Venckauskaite as things stand, with not much hope of climbing the table with two events left: the swimming 200m freestyle and the laser run.

The women’s final gets underway on Sunday, August 11 – the last day of Paris 2024 – with the final 18 pentathletes battling for gold in the same four events: show jumping, fencing, swimming and laser run.

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