Jamaican runner Andrew Hudson was left with shards of glass in his eye after a freak cart crash at the track world championships ... when two vehicles collided en route to the race.
The incident happened on Thursday ... when Hudson, Team USA superstar Noah Lyles, and other sprinters were being escorted to the 200-meter semifinals at Budapest’s new National Athletics Centre.
Aerial footage shows one cart smash into another on a pathway ... forcing one passenger out of their seat.
Another video from inside the cart Hudson was in shows the 26-year-old was clearly injured ... as he's shown rubbing his right eye following the collision. According to reports, Lyles could tell Hudson was in trouble ... saying, "He thinks he got glass in his eye."
"He thinks he got glass in his eye."
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) August 24, 2023
Noah Lyles here calling for help for Jamaican runner Andrew Hudson.#WorldAthleticsChamps | #Budapest2023 pic.twitter.com/MCSclicHNM
As it turns out, Hudson did have pieces of broken glass in his eye ... which medics removed prior to the race. Luckily, the Jamaican athlete was cleared to compete.
"I can't see out of my right eye, but I'm okay," Hudson said after the race. "The doctor flushed out some shards of glass."
Lyles -- who won the event in 19.76 seconds -- explained the crash in more detail, saying everyone was really worried about Hudson.
"We just wanted to make sure that he got his chance to run," Lyles said, "and everybody got their fair chance to see the hard work that they did."
Hudson -- who's ranked 11th in the world this year -- ended up finishing fifth in 20.38 for his first world championship.
The World Athletics said everyone, including the volunteer who was thrown out of the cart, is okay, and "the Local Organising Committee is investigating the incident and reviewing the transport procedures."
Hudson will get a chance to bounce back -- he will race alongside the eight finalists in Friday's championship event.