‘Never seen anything like this’: Cameraman causes chaos at World Championships

The sporting world was left to do a double take when it became immediately clear that something was amiss at the World Championships.

It didn’t take viewers long to realise something was very wrong at the world athletics championships.

The men’s 3000m steeplechase on Tuesday morning narrowly avoided disaster when an overzealous cameraman wandered onto the track in the middle of the event.

He was seen standing in the middle of the track near the finish line looking for the money shot in one of the field events happening inside the Hayward Field athletics track in Eugene, Oregon.

You would hope the footage was worth it.

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The live TV broadcast showed the runners changing direction at the last second when the hulking cameraman suddenly appeared in front of them through the haze of the leading pack of runners.

The chaos of the men's steeplechase. Photo: AFP, Carmen Mandato.

Athletes in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

There were fears the race could be completely derailed when he appeared on the first lap obliviously walking backwards directly into the path of the middle-distance runners.

The absurd scene was something some commentators had never witnessed before.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Aussie sport commentator Tim Rosen posted on Twitter.

Olympic champion Soufiane El-Bakkali of Morocco produced a tactical masterclass to storm to victory in the event — but it was all overshadowed by the cameraman’s moment of madness.

El-Bakkali took his time before surging into the lead with just under 200m to go with a lethal late kick powering him to gold in a time of 8min 25.13sec.

Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma — silver medallist behind El Bakkali at last year’s Tokyo Olympics — was second in 8:26.01.

His victory ended Kenya’s 15-year stranglehold over the men’s event, with that nation’s reigning world champion Conseslus Kipruto only managing bronze in 8:27.92.

“The pace was very slow today, my tactic did not work and that (cost) me the gold,” Girma told reporters. “I was trying to change the tactic but the pace limited me very much.”

All everyone was talking about after the race was the drama with the cameraman.

What the…?!?! Lol my hat is off to ⁦@karagoucher⁩ for not losing her cool on the live broadcast when the cameraman… became the 29th barrier of the men’s steeple final!? 😳 #wcoregon22pic.twitter.com/zx00UpdFxL

— Sally Bergesen (@oiselle_sally) July 19, 2022

I applaud the surprise on-track cameraman obstacle in the men's steeplechase final at WCH 22. Other steeplechase obstacle ideas to break out of the hurdles 'n' water trap:
- Poetry readings
- Pamplona bulls
- Mud slides
- Real snakes and real ladders

— Paul Kedrosky (@pkedrosky) July 19, 2022

✅️ New Immersive Camera Angle
✅️ New "mobile" Steeplechase barrier

Innovation when you least expect it! https://t.co/wWmt3Jn1MC

— chris winter (@cwinter3) July 19, 2022

Well, who knew steeplechase could be so much fun? 😝

— Stuart McMillan (@StuartMcMillan1) July 19, 2022

The camera man just vibin on the track like a race isn’t happening. Boy we are really lookin crazy in front of the world.

— BIANCA KNIGHT, OLY (@MsBiancaAK) July 19, 2022

Camera man trying to catch angles never seen before in the steeple chase?? 😂

— Justyn Knight (@justyn_knight) July 19, 2022

First few minutes of the men's steeplechase final and everyone has to run around a cameraman who was standing on the track. Oof.

— Tom Schad (@Tom_Schad) July 19, 2022

— with foxsports.com.au