Team GB athlete who confronted rival in heated clash breaks silence following controversial Olympics moment
Jess Hardiman
Featured Image Credit: BBC
Team GB athlete George Mills has spoken out after colliding with rival Hugo Hay during the first men's 5000m heat at the Paris Olympics.
After a number of athletes toppled over, Mills went to confront Hay.
It was difficult for spectators and commentating pundits to know exactly how the accident unfolded, with Paula Radcliffe - the former women's marathon world record holder - saying: "There's a lot to look back at, a lot to tidy up and decide whose fault it was. If you decide to jog that slightly, it's kind of your own fault. You end up with all of those falls."
Many social media users were shocked by the 'chaotic' scenes, with one tweeting: "Men's 5000m is a brutal sport. I never knew!! Harsh! #OlympicGames."
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Someone else said: "Unfortunately this looks like George Mills' fault - got himself in a bad position and caused chaos trying to push to the front. Mills then confronting France's Hugo Hay in a pointing and shouting match after crossing the finish line was a really bad look."
Some, however, came to Mills' defence, with one writing: "George Mills has every right to be kicking off at the end of that 5000m. Hugo Hay shoves him into the other runner and leaves him on the deck. Was under the impression that it's not allowed and can be a DQ. He's cost 3 runners a chance at the final."
Now Mills has shared his side of the story, having been asked in a post-run interview with the BBC 'what happened'.
"I mean, I think it’s pretty clear," he replied.
"I got stepped out on as I was about to kick in the home straight and boom. Yeah, French lad took me down.”
He was then asked about what he said to Hay afterwards, responding: “I’m probably not allowed to say, but yeah, said I’d... yeah.”
As for whether or not he'd been able to speak to any officials yet, Mills continued: “I haven’t seen anyone, but I’m pretty sure that BA 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?
"[...] I just so wanted to put my foot down on the home straight, got taken out.”
Mills added: “If this is my last race here, I wanna thank everyone at home for watching.”