– He has to watch out for the man there with the camera! Not following at all, said news commentator Jann Post, as the bizarre incident rolled across the screens. In the middle of Wednesday’s second heat of 5,000 meters with Jakob Ingebrigtsen, a TV photographer wandered into the running track, just after passing 3,400 meters. The photographer seemed to be completely oblivious to the huge blunder he was about to commit. At the same time as the runners were in action, several of the javelin throwers were also making their final preparations, which was probably the reason why the photographer was there. The Norwegian flailed his arm and looked back at the photographer. In the press zone, Ingebrigtsen was asked by the Norwegian press what he thought when he ran past. – I didn’t have time to say anything to him. I say “is that possible?” and shakes his head. It is more that we as runners applaud that this is actually possible. It’s a bit unfortunate. There are definitely some who file a protest, and then I don’t know if there is anyone who will make it to the finals. Maybe we will be a slightly bigger field in the final. It’s exciting too, says Ingebrigtsen to news, TV 2 and Dagbladet. news has approached the media manager and photography manager for the organizer for an answer to what happened, but has not yet received a reply. SAY BACK: Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB It could have been a man’s fall – Fortunately, it went well. If there had been casualties there, they would have had to put in more in a final, said news’s expert commentator Vebjørn Rodal. Ingebrigtsen herself is dismayed by the TV photographer’s behavior at the Stade de France. – It is amateurish. That shouldn’t happen in an Olympics. Everyone who is near an athletics track must understand that when crossing track one and number two, you have to look carefully. It didn’t work out today, he says to news. – It is a challenge that I did not see coming. Such things should not happen, especially not in an Olympics. I’m guessing someone will hear it in the chamber. I don’t know if anyone has their race ruined, but it affects people very negatively, he continues. Ingebrigtsen says he himself was lucky to be well placed and thus relatively easily able to run on the outside of him. – There are a lot of unforeseen things that can happen in running. And I know that. Many people fall and suddenly cameramen appear. It is important to be prepared for such things to happen, but you are not always so lucky. He was satisfied with the race itself, a race that ended with him crossing the finish line first and making it easily to Saturday’s 5,000 meter final. – It was good. My goal was to reach the final, he says. CLOSE ON: It was not much different from Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the TV photographer out on the pitch. Photo: NTB Fisher: – Just trying to do his job Grant Fisher also went further. The American ran into fourth place in the heat. He too got safely around the TV photographer. – Fortunately, I was in lane one, so it didn’t affect me much. I don’t think anyone fell because of that and thankfully it didn’t happen as there was one lap to go. But hopefully it won’t happen again, he says to news. – That shouldn’t happen. I think everyone agrees on that. After all, he’s just trying to do his job. He just has to pay a little more attention, says Fisher further. The Irishman Brian Fay finished in 13th place and is knocked out and noted the incident with the photographer along the way. – I don’t know what he was doing. Fortunately, everyone managed to get around and I managed to get away, he says, and continues: – Have you experienced that before? – No, not with a cameraman on the pitch. I don’t think anyone has. It’s a bit of a shame. But such things happen. It is part of life and part of sport. New gold chance for Ingebrigtsen Ingebrigtsen had to face the fact that there was no medal in the final of 1500 meters on Tuesday evening. The Norwegian sped up there already after 100 meters and set up a terrific pace. On the run he was passed by Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse and afterwards he admitted that he had been too eager. – I’m ruining myself, said Ingebrigtsen, who thus had to quickly turn around and get ready for the 5,000 meters on Wednesday morning. Ingebrigtsen has not participated in the 5000 meters in the Olympics before, but has World Cup gold in the distance from both 2022 and 2023. The Norwegian has one Olympic gold earlier in his career, in the 1500 meters in 2021. In connection with the 5000 meters in this year’s Olympics, several of the supposedly strongest competitors are not running. World record holder Joshua Cheptegei won the 10,000 meters earlier in the Olympics, but both he and compatriot Jacob Kiplimo withdrew from the 5,000 meters on Tuesday. The second fastest man at 5,000 meters this year, Yomif Kejelcha, is also only running the 10,000 meters in the Olympics, in addition to the fact that, among others, Luis Grijalva and Mohammed Ahmed failed in Wednesday’s attempt. Published 07/08/2024, at 11.47 Updated 07.08.2024, at 13.03
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TV photographer almost ruined Ingebrigtsen’s heat in the 5000 meters – Olympics Paris 2024
