In a dramatic turn of events during Wednesday morning’s 5,000m heat, George Mills found himself caught up in a contentious moment with French runner Hugo Hay. As the race approached its climax, Mills was involved in a significant collision that disrupted not just his own run but also impacted three other competitors.
From the footage, it seems that Hay may have given Mills a minor push, which triggered the cascade of chaos that saw Mills and three other runners hit the ground. The incident was dramatic enough to leave Mills visibly upset.
After the race, Mills took a moment to express his frustration with Hay, although he later admitted to the BBC that he might not be allowed to disclose the exact words he exchanged with his rival.
Heated Confrontation
According to lipreader Jeremy Freeman, the confrontation was quite intense. As Mills approached Hay, he reportedly called him a “f***ing clown” while pointing at him. Hay, not backing down, pushed Mills and retorted, “You f***ing did.”
Mills repeatedly countered, “yes you did,” in response to Hay’s denial. Hay’s reaction included a dismissive “No it was not me” and a resigned “ah come on” as Mills turned away, brushing off Hay’s hand from his shoulder.
Impact on the Race
The collision caused Mills to stumble into Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, resulting in both runners falling after their legs tangled.
Dutch runner Mike Foppen and Refugee Olympic Team’s Dominic Lobalu also went down, with Foppen hitting his head hard enough to be seen holding it in pain after crossing the finish line.
Aftermath and Reactions
In a stroke of luck, all four athletes who fell were granted spots in the final despite the collision. Hay, who finished seventh, was not disqualified and will also compete in the final.
When asked about the incident, Mills told the BBC, “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.”
He added, “That was the perfect qualifier for me. I was just waiting to kick off and then—bang, hit the deck. What can you do?”
On the other hand, Hay downplayed the incident in his post-race interview, saying, “For me, that was nothing. If I did something wrong, I will apologize after reviewing the images. I didn’t do anything intentionally; I just hope to be in the final.”
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