- The men’s 5000m at the Paris Olympics got underway on Wednesday via heats
- The first heat had a controversial ending when four runners collided and subsequently fell
- In the second heat a cameraman disrupted the race in even more chaotic scenes
The men’s 5,000 metres heats at the Paris Olympics were again disrupted on Wednesday when a cameraman got in the way of runners during a race.
The event was already very dramatic after four athletes, including Team GB’s George Mills (son of former England footballer Danny), crashed on the straight of the first heat.
Mills was riding well until he was involved in an altercation with Frenchman Hugo Hay and fell. The British star came face to face with Hay at the finish, having qualified 18th.
However, things got exciting again in the second heat, when the group of runners started the last four laps.
As the riders headed towards the straight, a cameraman walked across the track to the edge, unaware that he was disrupting the race.
The 5000m heats at the Olympics experienced more disruptions due to a cameraman interrupting a race
As the riders took the turn onto the straight, a reluctant cameraman walked across the track
He seemed unaware of what was happening as the athletes ran past him
Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen (sixth runner from the back in blue shorts and white top) was furious about the bizarre incident and angrily gestured to the cameraman as he ran past
He appeared completely shocked as the participants ran past him and almost bumped into him, creating dangerous situations.
Fortunately, the cameraman, who had his film equipment with him, saw his mistake and prevented a pile-up on the track, which forced many athletes to take evasive action.
Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen was one of the runners who became enraged when he pointed at the cameraman as he ran past.
During the bizarre incident, it appeared as if the cameraman was focusing on the women’s javelin qualifying event, which was taking place at the same time. It turned out to be another major blunder by the organizers of the Paris Olympics.
Ingebrigtsen won the heat, with Ethiopian Biniam Mehary and Belgian Isaac Kimeli in the top three. Only one runner fell during the race.
In the earlier heat, in which Mills was one of four men to fall after a collision, the Team GB star faced Frenchman Hay at the finish.
The couple were seen arguing and making physical contact, with Mills angrily pointing at Hay and expressing his anger in an interview with the BBC shortly afterwards.
“I think it’s pretty clear,” he said. “I got run over when I was going to score the home straight and boom, the French guy took me down.
The cameraman’s actions came so close to causing a damaging collision on the track
Jakob Ingebrigtsen was furious with the cameraman before he won the race
When asked what he said when he confronted Hay: ‘I’m probably not allowed to say that.’
When asked if he had spoken to officials, he said: ‘I haven’t seen anyone but I’m sure BA (British Athletics) will appeal, I hope.’
‘From my perspective this was the perfect qualification for me, I ran the first 2 kilometers in six minutes.
“I thought, ‘Nobody on this field can run away from me at this pace,’ so I was just waiting, biding my time, hitting the home ball and then I hit the ground. What can you do?’
Mills won his appeal and was awarded a place in the 5000m final.
