Segway cameraman who floored Usain Bolt says he is ready to get back to work

Usain Bolt with Song Tao, the cameraman who knocked him over moments after winning the 200m world title in Beijing. Photograph: How Hwee Young/EPA

• Song Tao reveals he apologised to Bolt for mishap at world championships
• Bolt had jokingly accused Justin Gatlin of paying cameraman to clean him out

THE cameraman who did what Usain Bolt’s sprint rivals could not and toppled the Jamaican is back to work after his brush with global fame and said he felt fine.

Song Tao, who works for the host broadcaster CCTV, has covered many sporting events including the Asian Games and the Olympics. But he had never come face to face with a global icon before he inadvertently crashed into Bolt on the athlete’s victory lap after the 200m.

Back at work and ready to film the medal ceremonies – including Bolt’s – before Friday night’s action began in the Bird’s Nest, Song revealed he had apologised to Bolt after the incident. The pair shook hands before Bolt’s medal ceremony amid smiles all round. Song appeared to give Bolt a good luck charm to wear around his wrist.

“The important thing is that he is OK. I’m fine and ready to get back to work,” Song told the Guardian via his colleague Shao Yi, who translated for him.

Shao joked his colleague was now a big star, not only in China but around the world. Song, looking slightly more sheepish, said he had to get back to work before Bolt’s medal ceremony.
Another colleague, who did not want to be named, said Song had failed to notice the barrier as he was tracking Bolt, which resulted in them clashing as the fastest man in the world celebrated his double sprint victory over Justin Gatlin.

Bolt joked afterwards that Gatlin had paid the cameraman. “He tried to kill me! I don’t know what he was going on. It was like: ‘You are winning too much – take him out!’”

It was not the only mishap on Bolt’s eventful lap of honour. As one fan invaded the track to try and grab a picture with Bolt, before being chased away, another volunteer attempted to make off with Bolt’s spikes.

The IAAF said any matter concerning track security and the way in which the athletes were filmed was one for CCTV. -guardian.com