BEIJING // The cameraman who sent Usain Bolt flying at the world athletics championships presented him with a red bracelet on Friday to apologise after footage of the incident went viral.
A red-faced Song Tao of China’s CCTV placed the good-luck charm on Bolt’s wrist by way of apology after he lost control of the electric scooter he was riding and clattered the Jamaican from behind.
Bolt, the six-times Olympic champion, escaped serious injury in the accident which happened as he celebrated sealing the world sprint double with an emphatic 200m win on Thursday.
“The important thing is that he is OK. I’m fine and ready to get back to work,” Song told the Guardian via a translator, before returning to his duties at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing.
The bizarre mishap is set to become an enduring image of the Beijing world championships after it trended on social media and featured prominently in TV news bulletins.
CCTV 5, in a posting on its Twitter-style Weibo account, said the bracelet “will bring luck to Bolt” and “made the nest full of love”, referring to the iconic venue for the 2008 Olympics.
Some internet users remarked that the unlucky cameraman was the only man capable of taking down Bolt, who has won all but one world and Olympic individual sprint title since 2008.
“The only guy in the world who can defeat Bolt,” wrote a user with the handle “Sehun” on his Chinese Weibo account.
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It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”