| Like Usain Bolt in the 100m, Farah couldn’t quite manage to win a fourth successive title. He admitted afterwards that he had been exhausted by his intense effort in the 10,000m final, five days before the 5000m heats. Most of his rivals here did not contest that event, but the final seemed to be going the Briton’s way again when he slipped into first place by 4400m. Until then, a moderate pace had been forged largely by Chelimo (3000m in 8:32.93 by transponder) and Tiernan. The all-important positional racing boiled up as the bell was approached. Kejelcha it was who nipped in front at 4600m and Farah was also shaded by Edris with Barega in fourth. The defending champion was suddenly surrounded by the young Ethiopian trio. Kejelcha and Edris went clear on the final backstraight, then Chelimo drew level with Farah behind the Ethiopians, effectively boxing him in as the finishing straight began. Running widest, Edris went clear to win. Farah strained past the tiring Kejelcha on the inside, just edging Chelimo for silver. Edris’s clear-run final 100m had taken just 13.16 compared with Farah’s 13.34. Their last laps: 52.38 Edris versus 52.80 Farah, while Chelimo, starting further back at 4600m, was timed at 52.43. “I was highly prepared for this race and I knew I was going to beat Mo Farah,” claimed the new champion. It was a disastrous event for seven-time winner Kenya: their only finalist placed 13th while their other two representatives were not remotely near a qualifying spot. |
