Farah won the long distance run in 13 minutes, 3.30 seconds.
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Speaking shortly after the surprise flop, Daley said: “I guess I’m kind of in shock right now because I know that I could win that gold medal and am probably the only one who could challenge the Chinese for that gold”.
“I didn’t just fluke it in London, to do it again is incredible”, he said.
The first question to Farah was actually how he describes his relationship with Salazar, given he appears to have had a more hands-off approach in Rio – only briefly talking with Farah after his 10,000m last Saturday. About 3,000 metres into the race, Farah crept to the head of the group, and he fought off every challenger the rest of the way.
“You’re a target, you’re a target”.
Farah came into the final stretch in the lead, and that meant it was over.
The other big victor Saturday was Spain’s veteran high jumper Ruth Beitia, who scored the biggest win of her 20-year career with a gold.
The victory sealed a distance double for Farah last achieved when Viren triumphed in the 1972 and 1976 Games in Munich and Montreal.
Farah stormed home to win the 5,000m in 13.03.30 seconds.
Farah beat off strong competition from Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet and United States runner Bernard Lagat, running a 13:03.30 race that showcased his physical and psychological talents.
Chelimo was disqualified from the race, which was won by Mo Farah of Britain, for stepping on the inside of the rail along the track, a violation of rule 163.3 (b). Farah slunk to the back of the pack at the beginning of the race and began working his way up after one lap.
“I thought about all my hard work and that it could all be gone”.
After another standout Olympics, Farah is ranking ever higher among the best runners in history.
But he reckoned it was sitting in his room and resting which helped win him a fourth Olympic title. He won gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 at the 2012 Olympics and repeated that accomplishment here.
In the shrouds of history, there is still Emil Zatopek of the Czech Republic and Paavo Nurmi of Finland, but the changes in competition make an accurate comparison impossible.
Farah had already achieved the World Championships “double double”, successfully defending his 10,000m and 5,000m titles in Beijing a year ago.
Bernard Lagat of the United States took bronze in a season’s best 13:06.78.
The U.S. has won back-to-back world titles since London and, with a team led by former Olympic champion LeShawn Merritt, it is hard to see the US fluffing their lines here.
Mohammed Ahmed of Canada also was reinstated to finish fourth.
None of that affected Farah.
When Gebrhiwet tried to cut him off, he smartly used his wiry frame to deny him and cement his position among the all-time greats.
“I’m going to take a holiday, come back and then decide what’s next”, the Guardian quoted the 33-year-old said after her victory.
Two relays are still to come Saturday night, and the U.S. has good medal prospects in the women’s high jump, where Chaunte Lowe is favored.
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The 25-year-old clocked 1 minute 55.28 seconds to beat Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba by 1.21 seconds.
