Tempers flared at the Men's 5,000 metre heats at the 2024 Paris Olympics this morning after a Team GB athlete squared up to his French rival after they collided on the track.
Runner George Mills, 25, was seen confronting his opponent Hugo Hay after several athletes toppled over during the last leg of the race, falling like dominoes as those at the front managed to dodge all the mayhem.
The sports star, who specialising in 1500 metres and 5000 metres, was seen writhing around on the floor alongside three international competitors.
Advert
Mills ended up crossing the finish line in 18th place with a time of 14:37.08 after recovering from the tumble, meaning he missed out on automatically qualifying for the final because he didn't bag a spot in the top eight.
Hay, however, placed seventh - while Norway's Narve Gilje Nordas came out on top.
The French's runner's ranking in the Men's 5,000 race didn't sit well with the likes of Mills, as it is alleged that Hay may have been the cause of the chaos which unfolded on the track due to 'pushing' a fellow runner on the bend.
Advert
Either way, the Team GB star made it clear that Hay is only one person he blames for the incident.
Footage from the event shows Mills, from Harrogate, heading towards the 27-year-old and squaring up to him following the race.
The pair exchanged a few heated words, and now, Mills has now spoken out about what happened.
Advert
In a post-event interview with the BBC, he was asked 'what happened' on the track during the 5,000 metre heats.
Advert
He responded: "I think it's pretty clear. I got stepped out on as I was about to kick in the home straight and boom, a French lad took me down."
After Mills was asked what he had said in frustration to Hay, he responded: "I’m probably not allowed to say, but yeah, said I’d... yeah."
He then discussed whether he had been able to lodge a complaint with any Olympic officials yet.
Advert
Mills continued: "I haven’t seen anyone, but I’m pretty sure that BA [British Athletics] will be on it and put an appeal in, I hope. From my perspective, that was a perfect qualifier for me going through the first 2k in six minutes.
"I was like, ‘Alright, nobody in this field can run away from me at this pace’. So I was just sitting, waiting, biding my time, gonna kick off the home straight and then bang, hit the deck. But yeah, what can you do?"
Hay has also spoken out about the situation, saying he 'hopes he didn't do anything' that could lead to him being disqualified.
"I'm really surprised. I just hope that I didn't do anything and I will not be disqualified," he said. 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 apologise. For me, I didn't do anything.
"I just hope that I can go in the final."
British Athletics then took to X to share the news that Mills has been advanced to Saturday's (10 August) final, after the second heat in the Men's 5000m had finished.
Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Mike Foppen of the Netherlands and Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, who represents the Refugee Olympic team, have also been given a spot in the final by the race referee following the collision.
Olivia Burke