Cameraman DISRUPTS men’s 5000m Olympic heats as Jakob Ingebrigtsen is left fuming in more chaotic scenes in Paris – after Team GB’s George Mills tumbled on final straight following collision

The men’s 5000m heats at the Paris Olympics faced more disruption on Wednesday as a cameraman got in the way of the runners in one race.

The event has already been hugely dramatic after four athletes, including Team GB‘s George Mills – son of former England footballer Danny – tumbled on the final straight during heat one.

Mills had been going well until he was involved in an altercation with France’s Hugo Hay and fell over, with the GB star confronting Hay at the finish line after qualifying down in 18th.

However, in the second heat, things hotted up again as the group of runners headed into the final four laps.

As the runners took the turn for the straight, a rogue cameran was walking across the track to the edge, blissfully unaware that he was interrupting the race.

The 5000m heats at the Olympics faced more disruption as a cameraman interrupted a race

As the runners took the turn for the straight, a rogue cameraman was walking across the track

He seemed blissfully unaware of what was happening as the athletes ran straight past him

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen (sixth runner from back in the blue shorts and white top) was left furious by the bizarre incident and angrily gestured towards the cameraman as he ran past

He looked completely shocked as the competitors ran right past him – and almost collided into him in dangerous scenes.

Carrying his filming equipment, the cameraman thankfully realised his error and avoided causing a damaging pile-up on the track, with many athletes forced to swerve to avoid him.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen was one of several runners who were left furious as he gestured towards the cameraman as he ran past.

‘It’s amateurish,’ Ingebrigtsen later said.  ‘That should not happen in an Olympics.

‘I was just far enough out in front to see that something or the other is happening. He has quite a large camera rig. He realised it quite quickly, but the damage is done. For some, their race is ruined.’

During the bizarre incident, it seemed as if the cameraman was focusing on the women’s javelin qualifying, which was taking place at the same time, and it proved to be yet another major gaffe from the Paris Olympics organisers. 

Ingebrigtsen went onto win the heat, with Ethiopia’s Biniam Mehary and Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli making up the top three, as only one runner fell in the race. 

In the earlier heat, where Mills was one of four men to tumble down following a collision, the Team GB star confronted Frenchman Hay at the finish line.

The pair were seen arguing and making physical contact, with Mills pointing furiously at Hay and he expressed his anger when speaking to the BBC shortly afterwards.

‘I think it’s pretty clear,’ he said. ‘I got stepped out on as I was about to kick in the home straight and boom, the French lad took me down.

The actions of the cameraman were so close to causing a damaging collision on the track

Jakob Ingebrigtsen was furious with the cameraman before he went on to win the race

Asked what he said when he confronted Hay: ‘I’m probably not allowed to say.’

When questioned if he had spoken to officials, he said: ‘I haven’t seen anyone but I’m pretty sure BA (British Athletics) will be on it to put an appeal in, I hope.

‘From my perspective that was the perfect qualifier for me, going through first 2k in six minutes. 

‘I was like, “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 then bang, hit the deck. What can you do?’

Mills subsequently won his appeal and was awarded a place in the 5000m final.