Ella Majeran, a track runner from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, went viral on TikTok after posting a video where she tried to blend in with Olympic hurdlers to see if viewers could tell her apart from the professionals. She captioned the clip “putting myself in with Olympic hurdlers to see if anyone notices.” The video has since racked up more than 12.2 million views.
The video starts by looking like a regular clip of elite athletes competing. Things change once Ella enters the frame. She stumbles at the first hurdle, sending it crashing forward, and sways back and forth before regaining her balance. At the second hurdle, she catches her foot again and has to stop completely.
It turned out that the clip was actually her very first time attempting the sport. Since then, she has shown clear improvement, posting a follow-up video that demonstrated a major change in her technique. Ella has since claimed she is now “6th in state.”
The comments were funnier than the video itself
The comments section filled up quickly with jokes. One user wrote, “trying to run in a dream.” Others compared her movements to a newborn giraffe learning to walk. Because her motions looked so disjointed, some viewers suggested she was computer-generated, with one person commenting, “it’s like a new born horse,” and another asked, “Were you a mermaid in your past life?”
One user even jokingly asked her to complete a captcha test to prove she was not a robot. TikTok has seen no shortage of unusual viral moments, like the case of a man who ended up hospitalized after trying a TikTok tanning trend involving carrots.
The humor spread beyond regular users. The official Gatorade TikTok account joined in, commenting, “waitttt, which one were you?” Other commenters leaned into pop culture, with one writing, “You went everywhere and nowhere at the same time 😭.” Someone else sarcastically said, “You just helped someone not be last.”
The improvement in her follow-up video caught people off guard. One user said, “Wait, I saw the viral one first, but the difference is so drastic that I didn’t even recognize youThis is so insanely impressive, how tf do you move like that😭.” Another joked, “If it’s any consolation, I saw this one first 😂.” TikTok continues to deliver unexpected discoveries, much like when a TikToker found a mysterious mountain door that left her completely disgusted by what was inside.
Ella has said she is “very happy” to know she gave so many people a laugh online. Her original video appears to have been taken from her first-ever attempt at hurdling, making the turnaround in her follow-up all the more notable to viewers who had seen both clips.
Her claim of being “6th in state” marks a sharp contrast to the stumbling figure seen in the video that first made her famous online, and her willingness to post the original clip is what started the chain of events that brought her to the attention of millions.
Published: Jun 15, 2026 10:15 am