Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani had an embarrassing moment at Brooklyn’s Men’s Day open streets event on Saturday when he failed to complete a solo bench press attempt.
In a video posted to X, Mamdani, 33, struggled under a 135-pound barbell. He managed two shaky reps, but only with full assistance from a spotter.
Before the lift, Mamdani was hyped up by supporters in the crowd, with one man shouting, “this is how you move up in the polls.”
But once the set was over, Mamdani looked disappointed. He appeared to hand over the credit to the spotter who helped him complete the lift.
The assemblyman later walked along Eastern Parkway during the Open Streets celebration, taking hundreds of selfies with New Yorkers near the Brooklyn Museum, according to the New York Post.
He redeemed himself by showing off his footwork with a soccer ball — a nod to his Ugandan roots, where soccer is the most popular sport. Mamdani also recently celebrated his lavish wedding there in July.
The day ended with Mamdani addressing the crowd, thanking organizers and the community for coming together.
“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,” Mamdani said. “I look forward to being your next mayor, next year.”