Mo Farah sprinted his way into history on Saturday as he became the first British to bring three Olympic golds in track and field races home.
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It was his American training partner at the Nike Oregon Project, Galen Rupp, of all people, who contributed to his fall on Saturday night, with Farah rolling on to his right shoulder, before promptly springing back up.
Despite the closeness of Farah’s margin of victory – 27 minutes, 5.17 seconds to 27:05.64 – the end result never seemed in doubt after the Briton rejoined the leader near the 5,800-meter mark.
While Farah now hunts a double double in the 5 000 metres this week, swimming legend Michael Phelps says that his days in the Olympic pool are over after having won his 23rd career gold (five in Rio) and 28th medal overall. “Now I’d like to win the 5,000m gold for my little boy”.
“I promised my daughter Rhianna I was going to get her a medal and I was thinking “I can’t let her down”.
Farah who defended his medal in a time of 27:05.17 despite tumbling at some stage, said: “When I went down on a bend in the race, I thought, ‘Oh my God, that is it.’ I just got up and wanted to stick with the guys and stay strong”. “The twins from 2012 have got one of each and Rihanna’s missing one so I thought, ‘I can’t, I can’t'”.
In an interview, Tanui said: ” It was very tough, but I am very grateful to have won silver medal.
“I got really emotional as I crossed the line because I went through a lot this year”.
Farah was mobbed by reporters after completing the obligatory lap of honour, before returning to the track to collect his latest medal.
The 29-year-old clocked 10.07 seconds to easily win his heat in blazing sunshine. “Things happen, sometimes”, said Farah, who said he was not sure if it was indeed Rupp who had tripped him, before pacing him back into the race again.
Tenui’s valiant effort was rewarded with a silver medal, with Tola taking the bronze medal.
He described Farah’s win as “simply wonderful”, according to BBC, conceding Farah had gone to a place no other British athlete had been able to go to.
Just 20 minutes earlier, the women’s eight – Katie Greves, Melanie Wilson, Frances Houghton, Polly Swann, Jessica Eddie, Olivia Carnegie-Brown, Karen Bennett, Zoe Lee and cox Zoe de Toledo – won a silver – Team GB’s first ever Olympic medal in the event.
While it may not have been quite a repeat of Super Saturday four years ago, Team GB now has 30 medals, one ahead of their London total at this point. I worked too hard for this’. I know my country was waiting for me and the Deputy President was also watching and I didn’t want to disappoint him.
“When you win something, you become more confident”.
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“It feels wonderful to make history and to be along side with Kenesia, Haile, Zatopek”, he said.
