Italy’s Alberto Nonino was competing in the 400m on day one of the decathlon at the U20 World Championships in Cali, Colombia when he suffered a wardrobe malfunction halfway through his race.

The athlete got out to a quick start through 200m, then was seen reaching down to his private area to adjust the mishap.

Mundial de atletismo sub20, Cali (Colombia). Última serie de los 400 metros del decatlón.

El italiano Alberto Nonino (18 años), por la calle cinco, empieza muy bien pero acaba entrando último.

Iba con la minga fuera. Literalmente #WorldAthleticsU20 pic.twitter.com/u3Jx8yLaz0

— David Sánchez de Castro (@SanchezdeCastro) August 3, 2022

According to Spanish reporter David Sanchez de Castro, Nonino’s split shorts failed him, not holding up his lower region. He desperately tried to resolve the issue as his legs pounded the track, however, it did not work, covering up the area with his hand while sprinting.

Nonino fell back to last on the final straight away, crossing the line last in 51.57 seconds. The 18-year-old has a personal best of 51.12 over 400m, which he set earlier this year at the Italian U20 Championships.

While it might not be the moment Nonino was hoping for at the world championships, he has been positive about his malfunction on his social media.

“What happened was an accident, and I’d like to tell you that I am sorry and aware of the reaction,” Nonino posted. “I am trying to laugh about it now, but immediately afterwards, I felt terrible. I am thankful to my friends and family for helping me get over what happened.”

Nonino finished the decathlon in 15th place of 27 at his first U20 championships.

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