Optical illusion of gymnast has everyone saying the same thing

The may be over - but one photo is still perplexing fans.

There were several standout images from the games, which saw team GB bring home 14 gold medals, 22 silver, 29, bronze - ranking us 7th in the league tables. French pole vaulter went viral after failing to reach his target heigh after his manhood appeared to knock the bar, leading him to issue an; while Tom Daley was papped casually knitting a jumper while watching the women's synchronized diving competition.

And of course, a mention is needed for the moment Chinese Zhou Yaqin looked to fellow medalists in confusion as they bit on their on medals, before joining in on the tradition. But it was Italian rhythmic gymnast Sofia Raffaeli who got everyone talking after an ariel view of her routine turned into an optical illusion.

READ MORE:

The 20-year-old athlete won bronze for her rhythmic routine, securing Italy's first-ever individual all-around Olympic podium in this discipline. Donned in a pink and purple leotard, Sofia performed with a ball - one of the five apparatuses used in the sport, alongside the clubs, hoop, ribbon, and rope.

But when a photographer snapped a picture of the gymnast mid-split jump with her head tilted back, it looked like the ball had taken the place of her face. Posting the incredible image on the official Olympics Games X (formerly ) account, thousands of viewers quickly flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts. "Where is the head and neck? Looking scary," one freaked out viewer wrote. Another agreed, commenting: "Bowling ball and a body." A third added: "Blowing up my mind right now," while a fourth wrote: "What the hell am I looking at?"

Want to avoid the doom and gloom? Get the latest positive news sent straight to your inbox with our

Many compared Sofia's 'ball' head to Marvel comics super villain Mysterio, played by Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2019 film Spider-Man: Far From Home. "Close enough, welcome back Mysterio," one user quipped. Another joked: "That's a take on Mysterio, but I can dig it," while a third compared Sofia to Salvador Dali and Walt Disney's 'Destino'.

Another pics of the gymnast from the opposite angle shows the ball balancing on her clavicle while her head is tucked back soon went viral too, as people moaned the original image was 'hurting their brain'. "Oh god thank you! The first pic made my brain hurt," one user wrote on Reddit after seeing the second picture.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk for a chance to be featured