A typically routine qualifying round during Olympics track and field Wednesday took a bizarre turn when a cameraman appeared to waltz right onto the track during the second of two heats in the men’s 5000-meter race.
In video posted to social media early Wednesday, a cameraman appeared to leisurely walk out onto the track, about midway through the race. He appeared caught off-guard as he nearly stepped into the path of the runners.
Everyone changed course without incident, but heading into the final stretch, American runner Abdihamid Nur, a medal contender, fell and finished last.
And that mishap was only after a massive runner crash during the first heat that led to a four-man pile up, with others falling down like dominoes.
The crash, which happened about a minute and fifteen seconds into the quick race, began when Britain’s George Mills and France’s Hugo Hay traded elbows, triggering a pileup involving Mills and three others.
After the race, Mills shoved his finger in Hay’s face and Hay, who stayed upright despite the earlier contact, pushed Mills.
“He took me out,” said Mills, the British silver medalist at the European Championship in June. “He could have stepped out.”
Mills, who finished 18th in the race due to the crash, said he figured that because “Hay is French and we’re in France” he had little chance of being moved through to the final. But the referee determined Mills and the three others were disadvantaged by the contact and moved all into the final.
About the only thing that went as expected was two-time world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway qualifying first in 13 minutes, 51.59 seconds. Ingebrigtsen was competing less than 15 hours after he stunningly failed to finish in the medals in the 1,500m.
Cole Hocker came from behind and set an Olympic record as he won gold in the men’s 1500m race at the Paris Olympics.
Women’s 100-meter hurdles
There was also a crash in the women’s 100m hurdles when Michelle Jenneke of Australia got tripped up going over the third barrier.
She got up and continued competing in the wrong lane, clipped the fourth hurdle, too, but managed to reach the finish, which is all you need to do to advance to the repechage round.
Defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico qualified with the morning’s best time, 12.42 seconds.
Track and field Wednesday night: Lyles in the 200m semis; men’s 400m final
Later, medals were to be handed out in the women’s pole vault, men’s discus, men’s 400m and men’s 3,000m steeplechase.
Also, Noah Lyles races in the 200m semifinals as he attempts to complete a sprint double after his photo-finish victory in the 100m.