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Journalism of Courage
A video of mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani struggling with a bench press at Brooklyn’s annual Men’s Day event has sparked sharp reactions online.
Mamdani, 33, failed to complete even a single unassisted rep with a barbell reportedly weighing 135 pounds, according to the New York Post. The clip, shared on X by user Collin Rugg, shows him being assisted by a muscled participant from the group 500 Men Making a Difference during both of his attempts. After stepping away from the bench, Mamdani thanked the spotter and acknowledged defeat.
Posting the video, Rugg wrote: “Socialist Zohran Mamdani shows off his muscles at Men’s Day in Brooklyn, needs help from a spotter to bench 135 pounds. The 33-year-old was reluctant at first to get under the bar but gave in after being pressured by the locals.”
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The video quickly gained traction, with a flurry of reactions. Netizens were divided as many hailed Mamdani for his attempt, while several users trolled him for failing to perform a bench press. “When he refers to “benching two plates” he means one on each side,” a user wrote. “So he folds easily under peer pressure? Not a very good leadership trait. Just saying,” another user commented.
“He locked his elbow,” a third user pointed. “Benching twice your body weight is quite impressive,” a fourth user said.
After the bench press event, Mamdani was seen walking down Eastern Parkway during the Open Streets event, taking selfies near the Brooklyn Museum. He also stopped by a DJ’s set to speak to attendees, saying, “It is such a pleasure to be here, and I want to say thank you to the organizers for celebrating what makes this community beautiful. I look forward to being your next mayor next year.”
Men’s Day, an annual open streets event, features outdoor gyms, music performances, and car shows.
