© Copyright – 2013 – Athletics Illustrated
Great Britain’s Mo Farah is demonstrating that he is in brilliant form and proving that he is currently the world’s most versatile distance runner. The impeccable timing of his fitness bodes well heading into the 2013 IAAF World Track and Field Championships next month in Moscow, Russia. He appears set to challenge to win gold in both the 5000 and 10000 metre events, as he did in London at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Farah continues to impress the athletics world with his ability over a broad range of distances. On Friday, July 19th while competing in the Herculis Monaco 1500 metre race, he finished second to Kenyan, Abel Kiprop setting a new British record time and running the sixth fastest time for the distance in history. In doing so, he took down Steve Cram’s 28-year-old British record of 3:29.67 by running 3:28.81.
Farah only competed in the 1500 metre race – not his typical distance – to work on his speed in this under-distance event. Farah usually competes in the 10000 and 5000 metre distances. During his post-race interview with the BBC he admitted that it was a weird feeling to start the race, “(The start)’s a big shock to the system. It’s a different feeling. It’s weird. I remember saying this is a weird feeling.”
He now owns seven national record times, which range from 3000 metre indoors to the half-marathon distance. His 5000 metre best is also a European record (12:57), while his half-marathon best time is 1:00.59 and his 3000 metre best is 7:38.15.
Farah won his first major title at the European Junior Championships in 2001. In the 5000 metre, he finished sixth in the 2007 World Athletics Championships. In cross-country, in December 2006 he became European champion in Italy. He took gold in the 3000 metre in both the 2009 and 2011 European Indoor Championships, in Turin and Paris, respectively. He won the 2011 New York City Half Marathon in a brilliant debut, beating Gebre Gebremariam by two seconds in a sprint finish, finishing in 60:23.
At the time, Farah told Athletics Illustrated, “It was a great race, me and Galen (Rupp) worked together but it came down to a sprint finish. The crowd made a big difference and it was really exciting. We knew Gebremariam had a big finish so we worked hard, but we still could not get rid of him. I felt all right with 400 metres to go and just went for it.”
In June of that year he took the British 10000 metre record by running 26:46.57 in Eugene, Oregon. The record was previously owned by Jon Brown which was 27:18.14.
At the 2012 London Olympic Games Farah electrified the home crowd not once, but twice by winning both the 5000 and 10000 metre gold medals. It appears he has set himself up well to repeat the feat at the worlds, proving his versatility and his ability to peak at the right time.
Personal bests:
800 Metres – 1:48.69
1500 Metres – 3:28.81
One Mile – 3:56.49
2000 Metres – 5:06.34
3000 Metres – 7:38.15
Two Miles – 8:20.47
5000 Metres – 12:53.11
10,000 Metres – 26:46.57
10 Kilometres – 27:44
15 Kilometres – 43:13
Half Marathon – 1:00:59
2000 Metres Steeplechase -5:55.72
