Usain Bolt Jokes That American Justin Gaitlin Paid Cameraman To Take Him Down

By Eyder Peralta / NPR

Published August 28, 2015 at 4:32 AM PDT

This story was published more than 9 years ago.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica is hit by a cameraman on a Segway while celebrating his win in the 200-meter final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at National Stadium in Beijing.

Usain Bolt has addressed Thursday's encounter with a mobile cameraman on a Segway.

If you missed it, a cameraman lost control and ran into the elite runner just after he won the 200-meter final during the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

Bolt blamed the Americans, specifically one of his biggest rivals American sprinter Justin Gatlin. Per the New York Times, Bolt joked:

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"'He took me out,' Bolt said later, uninjured and smiling. 'The rumor I'm trying to start right now is that Justin Gatlin paid him off.'

"Gatlin's deadpan response: 'I want my money back. He didn't complete the job.'"

Bolt also didn't take issue with cameraman. The BBC reports:

"He ... told reporters: 'Accidents happen. I have a few cuts but it is nothing that I have never done to myself in training. I will be all right.'"