The American runner who took silver in the men's 5,000-meter was involved in a cringe-worthy moment when an NBC reporter informed him he had been disqualified from the race.

Paul Chelimo thought he was being interviewed about his silver medal win on Saturday night when the NBC reporter told him he had been disqualified.

The decision to disqualify Chelimo over contact in the last lap, which he said was because he felt other runners had blocked him on the inside, was later overturned.

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Paul Chelimo won gold in the men's 5,000-meter, but was told during an interview with NBC he had been disqualified

The decision to disqualify Chelimo over contact in the last lap, which he said was because he felt other runners had blocked him on the inside

But the tense moment was still broadcast live on air.

NBC's Lewis Johnson began the interview, saying: 'Paul, I am getting some information here that you have been disqualified in this final.'

Chelimo, who came in second to favorite Mo Farrah of Great Britain, appeared in total shock but maintained his composure.

NBC's Lewis Johnson began the interview by informing Chelimo he had been disqualified and the runner appeared completely shocked

The decision to disqualify Chelimo was later overturned but it still made for a few tense moments on air

'Disqualified? No, no, no,' he said quietly.

Later he added:

'I was trying to go to the outside to get in position.

'They were blocking me in. They were pushing me into the rail. I was trying to save myself from all of the pushing.'

'I can't believe it. I was running a fair race. I wasn't trying to pick someone.

'I was trying to go to the outside because the Cuban guy kept blocking me the whole time.'

After the U.S. appealed the decision, it was revised and Chelimo was given his silver medal.

Twitter flew into a frenzy over the way Chelimo was given the news during the NBC interview

But Twitter flew into a frenzy over the way Chelimo was given the news.

'Did Paul Chelimo just find out he'd been DQed out of a silver medal in a live interview? That's awful,' one person wrote.