In the final stretch of the 5,000m heat on Wednesday morning, tensions flared between George Mills and French runner Hugo Hay. The incident resulted in a dramatic pile-up that left Mills and three other competitors sprawled on the track.
As the race approached its climax, Mills found himself in the midst of a chaotic collision involving three other runners. Replays indicated that Hay may have given Mills a slight push, which led to the crash.
Mills was visibly upset and approached Hay with a stern confrontation. Despite his frustration, Mills told the BBC he couldn’t reveal the exact details of their exchange.
Expert lipreader Jeremy Freeman revealed that as Mills approached Hay, he pointed and exclaimed, “You f***ing clown.” Hay, in turn, pushed back and countered, “You f***ing did.” Mills repeatedly asserted, “Yes, you did,” while Hay denied involvement and added, “Ah come on” as Mills turned away, trying to distance himself from the confrontation.
The collision caused Mills to veer into the path of Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, leading both athletes to fall after their legs tangled. Dutchman Mike Foppen and Refugee Olympic Team athlete Dominic Lobalu were also caught in the chaos.
Foppen, in particular, appeared to hit the ground hard and was seen holding his head after crossing the finish line.
Post-Race Developments
Fortunately, all four athletes who fell were later granted a spot in the final, thanks to a post-race review by officials. Hay, who finished seventh, was not disqualified and will also advance to the final.
Mills’ Perspective
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.”
Reflecting on his race strategy, Mills noted, “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?”
Hay’s Response
In his post-race interview, Hay downplayed the incident, saying, “For me, that was nothing. Like I said to George, I will watch the images and if I’m the guy that did it, I will apologize. For me, I didn’t do anything, I just hope that I can go in the final.”
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