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Britain’s Mo Farah won his second gold medal of London 2012 with a thrilling victory in the 5,000 metres on the final night of athletics action.
Seven days after claiming Britain’s third gold in the space of 45 minutes on ‘Super Saturday’ in the 10,000m, Farah produced another brilliant performance to complete the long-distance double.
Roared on by a capacity 80,000-strong crowd, Farah hit the front with 700m remaining and was never headed, covering the last lap in under 53 seconds to hold off Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel to win in 13 minutes and 41.66 seconds.
Thomas Longosiwa of Kenya claimed bronze.
He’s done it! Farah wins the men’s 5,000m final
Make mine a double: Farah celebrates as he crosses the line
On top of the world: Farah celebrates his win
Mo-bot: Farah celebrates in his trademark fashion
Just five men in Olympic history had previously taken the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the same Games – Emil Zatopek of the old Czechoslovakia in 1952, Vladimir Kuts of the USSR in 1956, Finland’s Lasse Viren in 1972 and 1976, Miruts Yifter of Ethiopia in 1980 and Kenenisa Bekele, also of Ethiopia, at Beijing four years ago.
Farah’s victory also meant Britain have won four track and field golds for only the third time since the Second World War, matching the haul from Tokyo in 1964 and Moscow in 1980.
Farah had looked understandably tired in the heats on Wednesday, after which Gebremeskel acknowledged that running a fast race might be the only way to deny Farah victory.
Golden moment: Farah kisses the track after winning his second gold medal
In a league of his own: Farah won the 5,000m to add to add to his 10,000m crown
Everyone wants an piece of him: Farah celebrates with the maskot Wenlock
However, if that was the plan it was curiously ignored as the 15-strong field set out at an incredibly slow pace – with more than one lap taking 73 seconds – 20 more than Farah’s closing lap to win the 10,000m.
It took until the midway point of the race for the pace to be wound up but Farah was able to respond and move up to second behind Gebremeskel with three laps to go.
With 700m remaining the 29-year-old hit the front and still led at the bell, at which point he crucially refused to give up his prime position on the inside and accelerated again to stay ahead of the pack.
Looking nervous: David Beckham and Boris Johnson and Sir Menzies Campbell cheer on Farah
Getting exciting: Beckham and Johnson watch Farah close in on victory
He’s done it: Beckham and Johnson celebrate as Farah crosses the line
Gebremeskel, the fastest man in the world this year, briefly closed on Farah down the home straight, but the home favourite was not to be denied a fabulous triumph – and even had the energy to celebrate with a few sit-ups on the track.
Farah said on BBC1: ‘It’s just unbelievable.
‘The American guy (Galen Rupp) tried to come past me, but I knew I just had to hold on to it.
‘I had great support from the crowd. It means a lot to me.’
He was watched by wife Tania, pregnant with twins due imminently, and daughter Rihanna.
Giving it everything: Farah shows the effort he put in to win gold
Getting his tactics right: Farah ran the perfect race
Keeping an eye on his rivals: Farah was in control of the race
‘Those two medals are to my two girls that are coming. They’re not born yet hopefully,” Farah said.
‘They’re twins so there’s one for each. They could arrive any day.”
As for his short-term future on the track, Farah said: ‘I don’t know what’s going on. I’m taking one race at a time.
‘The Olympics doesn’t come round often. It’s all worked out well.
No way through: Farah keeps his place at the front
‘I’m just amazed. Two gold medals – who would have thought that?
‘I just want to thank everyone who’s supported me.
‘All my coaches from previous years and all the people who’ve been involved in my life.
‘I can’t thank everybody enough.
‘I want to say particularly to my wife, with her carrying twins, it hasn’t been easy but I didn’t want to know about it.
‘If anything happens she promised she wouldn’t let me know so I’m glad it all worked out well.’
He added: ‘It’s been a long journey grafting and grafting, but anything is possible.’
Farah’s training partner Rupp, who took silver in the 10,000m but finished seventh tonight, said: ‘Everybody’s gunning for him and looking for ways to beat him and I think to be able to have such a great two races in front of your home fans, it’s huge.
‘There’s obviously a lot of pressure on him and he did a great job of handling it and just executed better than anybody else.’
Running on his turf: Farah is cheered home by 80,000 fans inside the Olympic Stadium
MO FARAH FACTFILE
1983:Â March 23 – Born in Mogadishu, Somalia. He would arrive in Britain as a refugee at the age of eight.
2001:Â Wins first major title by winning the 5,000 metres at the European Junior Athletics Championships in Athens.
2006:Â Wins silver in the 5,000m at the European Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Wins the European Cross Country Championship in December of the same year.
2007:Â Finishes sixth in the 5,000m at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
2008:Â Fails to reach the final of the 5,000m at the Beijing Olympics.
2009:Â Breaks the British 3,000m record twice in a matter of weeks early in the year and goes on to take gold in the same event at the European Indoor Championships. Finishes seventh in the 5,000m at the World Championships in Berlin, the top European.
2010:Â July 27 – Wins the 10,000m at the European Championships in Barcelona.
July 31Â – Completes a distance running double by claiming gold in the 5,000m.
August 19Â – At a Diamond League meeting in Zurich, sets a new British record with a time of 12:57.94 in the 5,000m.
2011:Â February – Announces he is relocating to Portland, Oregon, to train under Alberto Salazar.
February 19Â – Sets a British indoor record with a time of 13:10.60 in the 5,000m at Birmingham.
March 5Â – Wins gold in the 3,000m at the European Indoor Championships.
March 20Â – Wins the NYC Half Marathon with a time of one hour 23 seconds after entering late when a planned 10,000m event in New Zealand was cancelled due to earthquake damage.
June 3Â – Sets a new British and European record of 26:46.57 to win the 10,000m at a Diamond League meeting in Eugene.
July 22Â – Sets a British record of 12:53.11 in the 5,000m at a Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
August 28Â – Wins 10,000m silver at the World Championships in Daegu.
September 4Â – Wins 5,000m gold at the World Championships in Daegu.
2012:Â March 11 – Misses out on a medal in the 3,000m at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, finishing fourth.
June 2Â – Runs fastest 5,000m of the year, clocking 12:56.98 to win the Diamond League race in Eugene, beating Olympic champion and world record holder Kenenisa Bekele.
June 27Â – Becomes the first man to retain the 5,000m title at the European Championships by winning gold in Helsinki.
August 4Â – Wins the 10,000m Olympic title at London 2012.
August 11Â – Adds the 5,000m title for a second London 2012 gold.
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