Thelife- A clip of a para-cyclist and amputee receiving a wristwatch as a trophy gift has gone mega-viral on TikTok.
- The Spanish cyclist, Ricardo Ten Argiles, laughed off the viral moment in a response video.
A para-cyclist and amputee was awarded a wristwatch after winning a World Championships race, with commenters applauding the athlete's graciousness and sense of humor in the face of what some on TikTok are calling "the worst trophy gift ever."
Ricardo Ten Argiles, a 47-year-old paralympic gold medalist in swimming and three-time world champion para-cyclist, emerged victorious at the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow earlier this month.
Argiles, who hails from Spain, touched a power line and was electrocuted at age eight, according to Reuters, and subsequently had both arms and one leg amputated.
In a TikTok video shared by the Australian news outlet @news.com.au on Tuesday, Argiles – with a medal around his neck – is gifted a Tissot watch in a box, which he receives with a smile before holding it up and posing for photographers. The outlet referred to the watch as "the worst trophy gift ever" in a caption. The video has been viewed over 27 million views. (The clip generated similar reactions and conversation on X, formerly known as Twitter.)
@news.com.au Not the most well-thought gift #cycling #disabilitytiktok #paralympics #disabilityawareness #fail ♬ origineel geluid - Tik Toker
Commenters largely agreed that it was "the worst trophy gift ever" — and commended Argiles for taking it in stride.
"He was so thankful anyways. Such a nice guy," reads the TikTok clip's top comment. Others questioned event organizers: "Who thought giving a gift that goes on the wrist at the paralympics would be a good idea."
In a response video of his own shared to X and Instagram, someone off-camera asks Argiles what time it is. "World Champion time!" he responds, glancing at the watch strapped to his arm. "Thank you @TISSOT for believing in this super world of inclusion," he captioned the video on Twitter, tagging the Swiss watchmaker that serves as the event's official timekeeper and presenting sponsor.
"I'm so shocked that this joke has gone viral," he captioned his Instagram post in Spanish. "I'm having a great time reading your comments …It's surprising how a simple fact is more viral than the results achieved."
—Ricardo Ten (@RicardoTen_) August 14, 2023
On Instagram, commenters applauded Argiles' win — with some also lamenting that the viral moment obscured his achievements.
"Completely agree," a Spanish fan wrote. "What a shame that the headline is this and not the great results." Another added: "You are the greatest and you know it. Keep up that humor that characterizes you."
When reached, the president and CEO of the Amputee Coalition redirected the spotlight onto Argiles' performance that day.
"We say congratulations to Ricardo Ten Argiles for his incredible athletic achievements and his impact on inclusion in the sport of cycling," Cass Isidro told Insider in an email statement. "The competition gift raised a conversation throughout the nation from different perspectives. This is a teachable moment for us all to create and continue dialogue together with an inclusive mindset that we acknowledge not only does diversity matter but all of our stories matter."
Insider has reached out to Argiles, the UCI World Championships, and Tissot for comment.