Cape Town – Caster Semenya was a tough act to follow, but while Elroy Gelant fought valiantly to the end, it was Britain’s Mo Farah who took the glory in the 5 000m to clinch an Olympic “double double” in Rio on Saturday night.
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The last man to win both distance races in consecutive Olympics was the Finnish runner Lasse Viren at the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Games.
“I felt a little bit exhausted at the beginning, so I thought I had to get going again”, he said.
The message from the Queen, who is on her summer break in Balmoral, read: “I offer my warmest congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth for their success at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro”.
“After the 10,000 my legs were a bit exhausted and I don’t know how I recovered, I just had to stay in my room and people had to bring me food in my room and I just had to rest up”, he told BBC Sport.
Somalia-born Londoner Farah is now a nine-time global champion, moving him above Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele.
“I didn’t just fluke it in London, to do it again is incredible”, he said.
‘I don’t cry – I can’t remember the last time I cried – so to shed a tear on that podium showed how much it meant to me, ‘ said Adams.
Ahmed was in contention for bronze in the final 400 metres, battling with American Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo for third place before running out of steam down the stretch. He was initially disqualified but quickly reinstated. In the final laps, he hit the front and refused to allow the men who shadowed him, particularly the threatening Ethiopian, Hagos Gebrhiwet, get ahead.
“He deserves it. I’m happy with the medal because four years ago in London I finished 11th”.
After the first 400 meters, Farah was in the back of the pack, waiting to see the kind of pace the leaders set. USA Track and Field (USATF) filed a protest on behalf of Mead, stating that he had been impeded by Farah, but the protest was denied. I wasn’t going to let anyone past me. Having been so dominant in major competitions in recent years, though, Farah held a psychological edge over both of them.
Farah was immediately hailed by some as the greatest British sportsman of all time.
“I was surprised by the first lap, I thought it was going to be a slow race. I guess it’s just good experience for the next championships that I go to”.
“At the beginning I felt a bit exhausted but I got going again”.
“There was pushing but that is part and parcel of the race”. “I hate to lose”.
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Farah defended his 10,000m title last Saturday, despite tripping and falling during the race.
