Kenya’s 10,000 metres duo Bedan Karoki and Paul Tanui reckon they have identified what it takes to finally overhaul British double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah, who has twice denied them a major title with his fast finishes.
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A pretty serious statement of intent, too, in his final race before the Rio Games and his quickest run since before the London Olympics.
He received a huge roar when introduced to the crowd and the volume rose as he moved into the lead and pulled clear shortly after the 3,000m mark.
Farah clocked 12 minutes, 59.29 seconds at the London Diamond League meet, delighting home fans at the Olympic Stadium.
This display will have changed that outlook.
“I want to do well, but I have to keep doing what I’m doing”.
“I was satisfied with that one”, said Farah, who dedicated his win to his eldest daughter Rhianna, who celebrated her 11th birthday on Friday.
“Rio is right around the corner and I’m in good shape”.
“I am in good shape but I have to keep my feet on the ground”.
Great Britain’s men’s 4×100 relay teams dominated their event with the quartet of James Dasaolu, Adam Gemili, James Ellington and CJ Ujah just edging the “B” line up of Richard Kilty, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Daniel Talbot and Ojie Edoburun by 300th of a second.
“Not many people get a chance to compete in their home town and have so many memories of the place”, said Farah, who also won gold in the 10,000 at the 2012 Olympics.
“We are not there to fill the lane and go behind America and Jamaica”.
Matthew Hudson-Smith was victorious in the 400m final as Rabah Yousef finished third with a new season’s best, while Dina Asher-Smith finished just short of the top three in the women’s 100m, with Desiree Henry finishing in sixth.
“He is the only major threat and I am sure we will beat him, ” added Karoki, who finished fifth at the London Games and won silver at this year’s World Half Marathon and lastyear’s World Cross Country Championships.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast was the surprise victor, having run a 10.96 personal best in the heats then matched it in the final to triumph ahead of Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad & Tobago.
The same thing happened to him at the European Championships final in Amsterdam earlier this month.
Elsewhere, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke stole victory on the line with Lynsey Sharp dipping into second in the women’s 800m, and insists it was the ideal set-up ahead of her Olympic debut in August.
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There was a more predictable outcome in the 200, with world champion Dafne Schippers winning in 22.13.
