George Mills has advanced to the 5000m final despite tumbling in the home straight of his heat this morning, with the Team GB crossing the finish line in 18th place meaning he wouldn’t qualify for the final.
Mills appeared to get shoved by French runner Hugo Hay as he tried to break through the bundled pack.
Resulting in the Englishman’s legs getting tangled up with the runner on the other side of him, sending both men tumbling as well as the two other behind them.
Mills who is the son of former Leeds defender Danny Mills was furious with the Frenchman and after the race he immediately charged after Hay to voice his anger and frustration over the shove.
Mills claimed Hay was responsible for the four man pile up and luckily for him the officials agreed.
George Mills was reinstated in the men’s 500m after four-man pile up which saw him finish 18th
The Team GB was sent tumbling on the final straight after he appeared to get shoved by Frenchman Hugo Hay
The 25-year-old was steaming after the race and immediately went up to Hay to confront him
Upon a review by the video referee, the officials judging the race reinstated Mills and the three other athletes involved.
The officials agreed that Mills, Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Refugee Olympic Team athlete Dominic Lobalu and Netherlands’ Mike Foppen had all been disadvantaged by the incident.
Therefore thanks to the officials right they were reinstated in the 5000m event and awarded a spot in the final.
Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Refugee Olympic Team athlete Dominic Lobalu and Netherlands’ Mike Foppen were all affected by the shove as well
The officials agreed that the four men were disadvantaged by the incident and therefore would be awarded a spot in the final
When asked to explain by the BBC what happened, Mills said: ‘I think it’s pretty clear. I got stepped out on as I was about to kick on the home straight and boom, the French lad took me down.’
‘From my perspective that was the perfect qualifier for me. Going through the first 2,000 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 and biding my time, gonna kick off down the home straight and bang hit the deck. What can you do?’
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