During a high-stakes 5,000m heat at the Paris Olympics, George Mills found himself at the center of an unexpected drama.
Competing against a tough field, Mills, the son of former England defender Danny Mills, was aiming to secure a spot in the next round. As he approached the final stretch, he was running closely alongside French competitor Hugo Hay, positioned within the top ten.
However, things took a turn when it seemed Hay gave Mills a push. This led to a tangled mess with Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo. The collision caused both Mills and Ndikumwenayo to crash to the ground.
The chaos didn’t stop there, as Dominic Lobalu from the Refugee Olympic Team and Mike Foppen from the Netherlands also got caught up in the fall. Foppen landed awkwardly, hitting the back of his head.
Mills’ Reaction
After the race, Mills was visibly upset.
He tracked down Hay, pointed at him, and voiced his frustrations. Hay tried to calm the situation, but Mills was not appeased. He brushed off Hay’s hand and walked away, still visibly agitated.
Despite the drama, Mills finished in 18th place, which meant he wouldn’t advance. Hay, on the other hand, moved forward to the next round after finishing seventh. Lobalu ended up 15th, Foppen was 19th, and Ndikumwenayo did not finish the race.
In a surprising turn, all four runners involved in the collision were advanced to the final, following a decision by the officials.
Mills’ Perspective
Mills shared his thoughts with the BBC, saying, “I think it’s pretty clear. I got stepped out on as I was about to kick on the home straight and boom, the French lad took me down.”
When asked about his post-race exchange with Hay, Mills replied, “I probably wouldn’t be allowed to say.” He expressed frustration at missing out on what he saw as a perfect opportunity to qualify, reflecting, “I was just sitting, waiting and biding my time, gonna kick off down the home straight and bang hit the deck.
What can you do?”
Earlier in the race, Mills had another close call, managing to hurdle over a fallen runner with 800 meters to go.
Paula Radcliffe, commenting on the incident for the BBC, suggested there would be much to review to determine fault, noting, “If you decide to jog that slightly, it’s kind of your own fault. You end up with all of those falls.”
In the second heat, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who had missed out on a medal in the 1,500m the previous night, won and is now a strong contender for the final. However, he was frustrated by a cameraman who was wandering on the track, causing a distraction.
A Legacy of Temperament
Mills’ father, Danny, known for his fiery temperament during his football career, had amassed 60 yellow cards and three red cards in his 15 years on the field. It seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.