Paris Olympics: cameraman crossing track almost causes pile-up during men’s 5000m heat

“Remember to to look both ways before crossing the street” is a standard piece of advice we all receive as children – well, someone should have told the camera operator during the men’s 5000 metres heat at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

A video on social media showed the cameraman casually crossing the track as the runners approach and then quickly stopping in the middle of the group.

“It is amateurish,” said Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who was looking to overtake on the curve as the cameraman crossed, after the race. “That should not happen in an Olympics.”

Incredibly, there was also a mass collision in a different 5000m heat when British runner George Mills appeared to receive a push from France’s Hugo Hay when entering the home straight.

It led Mills to collide into Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo, causing them both to lose balance.

Dominic Lobalu of the Refugee Olympic Team and Dutchman Mike Foppen also went down in the mayhem.