A college athlete has been caught on film during the horrific moment his pole vault hit his testicles.
Zach McWhorter, who attends Brigham Young University, was undergoing his usual pole vault training.
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But sadly for the 21-year-old, things didn't quite go according to plan.
He approached the mat with speed and intensity (so far so good), planted the pole into the slot and launched himself into the air (everything is going swimmingly). However, as he twisted his body to get over the bar, his pole moved into a spot where no pole should go.
As Zach started his descent, the pole caught dramatically on his testicles, causing an almighty injury that would make most men shudder.
The pole ripped through his goddamn testicles.
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Have a moment to take all that in and then brace yourself for some more spine-tingling information.
"I could see right into my scrotum," he told BuzzFeed.
Yep - you read that right. The pole managed to go through his gym shorts, through his underpants and then through his ballsack. Thankfully for the athlete, his coach, who also doubles as his dad and triples as a urologist, rushed to his aid seconds after the injury.
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"Immediately after the incident, we got in his car and drove to the hospital and he sewed me up," Zach added to Buzzfeed. "It required 18 stitches!"
While it would be handy to have a urologist on the scene so quickly, I can't help but feel it would be a bit weird having your dad sew up your testicles.
Zach continued: "Fortunately, as far as I know, there is nothing wrong with my testicles - just a scar. One day, we'll find out if they function or not."
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That's a worrying thing to carry aroun d in your head, although at least he hasn't suffered any permanent damage that he knows of.
He's warned other pole vaulters to never jump unless they have shorts with spandex on the inside (which would stop your testicles from flying freely in the wind) and to always have a cap on the end of your pole to prevent anyone else from having a potential orchiectomy.
So there you have it: you've been warned.
Featured Image Credit: Zac McWhorter/TikTokTopics: News