August 7th 2024.
The Olympic 5000m qualifier at the Stade de France on Wednesday morning was marred by an intense collision between Team GB's George Mills and his French rival, Hugo Hay. Mills, who is the son of former Leeds United and England defender Danny Mills, was visibly angry as he crossed the finish line and immediately confronted Hay.
The altercation between the two athletes was caught on camera, with Mills aggressively pointing a finger at Hay as the Frenchman attempted to calm him down. The tension between them was palpable as they exchanged words, and Mills even brushed off Hay's hand from his shoulder before storming away.
This incident was not the only one in the race, as earlier on, Canada's Mohamed Ahmed had also fallen in the tightly packed field. However, the major flashpoint came in the final 100 meters when Mills tried to make a move alongside Hay but was blocked, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground. Unfortunately, this also resulted in three other athletes, including the Netherlands' Mike Foppen, Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, and the Refugee Team's Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu, being brought down with him.
Mills was understandably upset and frustrated after the race, stating that he was "stepped out on" by Hay and was subsequently taken down. When asked about his confrontation with Hay, Mills replied, "Probably not allowed to say." But he did mention that he hopes British Athletics will launch an appeal on his behalf.
The incident was also discussed by commentators Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram, with Radcliffe pointing out that the athletes involved should take some responsibility for jogging instead of running at a faster pace, which could have potentially avoided the falls. Cram also added that Mills should have checked his position earlier on to prevent getting caught up in the chaos.
Former Great Britain 400m runner Allison Curbishley also weighed in on the incident, stating that Mills has a track record of putting himself in precarious positions during races. She believes that this could have been avoided if he had avoided getting too close to other athletes.
In the end, the Olympic 5000m qualifier was unfortunately overshadowed by the collision between George Mills and Hugo Hay. While Mills may have been angry and disappointed by the outcome, he knows that it's all part of the sport and will hopefully learn from this experience for future races.
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