Ex-England defender’s son George qualifies for final of 5000m race at 2024 Paris Olympics following appeal after dramatic collision
There's good news in store for Team Great Britain at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics regarding their mid-distance runner, George Mills. George, who is representing his country in the men's 5000m run at the Games, is the son of former England football team defender Danny Mills.
In the 5000m heats held on August 7, Team GB's Mills was en route to qualifying for the final but collided with France’s Hugo Hay during the race. This led to Mills falling along with three other competitors - Spain's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Mike Foppen of The Netherlands and refugee athlete Dominic Lobalu.
Courtesy of finishing in the Top 8 of the heats, Hay qualified for the final but Mills failed to make the cut. After the 5000m Olympics heats, the agitated Brit went up to the Frenchman to give him a piece of his mind.
The exchange of words at the end of the race were decoded by lip reader Jeremy Freeman, who told the Daily Mail, that the 25-year-old called Hay, 'a f****** clown'.
What's next for Mills at the men's 5000m final at the Olympics?
George Mills, who is part of a large Team GB Track and Field contingent at the Paris Olympics, lodged a protest claiming that he was pushed. Along with the three other athletes who fell in that melee, he has now been reinstated.
Following the race, Mills provided his version of the incident to Eurosport, saying:
"This lad [Hay] came and took me out, he stepped out and took me out. I dodged one fall coming into the bell, just about missed that and then just got taken out and went down 80 metres out," said Mills.
Hay, meanwhile, claimed innocence in an interview with the same broadcaster and said that he did not push anyone.
"At the end, there was a big pile-up. The Englishman came to tell me it was my fault, so I went to look at the slow-motion replay. As far as I'm concerned, it was someone who pushed me and I just put my elbow in. I hope nothing happens because I didn't really feel like I was pushing anyone. I turned around and there was no one there," clarified Hay.
All four runners - Mills (GB), Ndikumwenayo (Spain), Foppen (Netherlands) and Lobalualong (IOC refugee), will now compete in the 5000m final on August 10 at the Stade de France - Track in Paris.