[GRAPHIC] Armenian Weightlifter Dislocates His Elbow at the Rio Olympics

Weightlifting is arguably one of the most dangerous and thrilling sports in the world. There’s a well-known risk that comes with it but the satisfaction that these weightlifters get from lifting hundreds of kilograms of weight at the end is priceless. This is why only a well-trained professional should compete in this sport. Among the risks that this sport possesses is breaking your bones or dislocating your joints. Since you will need great upper body strength and stability to perfectly execute this sport, the wrist, knees, and elbows are one of the most vulnerable parts of your body.

It's probably every weightlifter’s nightmare if that were to happen especially during a big sporting event like the Olympics. Imagine thousands of spectators from around the world watching your every move and the pressure of succeeding because everyone back home is counting on you.

Well, this was the case with Armenian weightlifter, Andranik Karapetyan. The 20-year was attempting to lift 195kg in the clean and jerk event when suddenly his elbow popped out half way through his attempt. He was in the running to win the bronze medal. Videos of the incident surfaced online and it’ll definitely make your stomach churn. Watch the horrifying moment below:

Image: Getty Images

The reigning European champion in the 77kg category was howling in pain and was swiftly rushed to the hospital. Some of his team mates and Armenian staff members looked highly distraught over the incident. The event was eventually won by Kazakhstan’s Nijat Rahimov in first place, Lyu Xiaojun of China in second place, and Egypt’s Mohamed Mahmoud who placed third.

Image: Reuters

The toe-curling accident happened after China’s Xiang Yianmei dropped a barbell stacked with 118kg on the back of her head. She escaped injuries and walked away with a gold medal in the women’s 69kg category.

This isn’t the first freak accident during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Last Saturday, Frenchman Ait Said suffered a gruesome broken leg after he landed awkwardly during the men’s vault qualifying round. Audience members gasped in disbelief when he wrongly landed after the vault followed by a loud snapping sound. His leg appears to be dangling unnaturally. It kind of reminds us of when Harry Potter broke his arm and Gilderoy Lockhart attempted to fix it during a quidditch match.

The gymnast however handled the situation calmly although he was seen covering his eyes with one hand while holding his broken leg with the other. Here's how it happened:

Image: AP