by Stuart WeirIt was going to happen.
The man who took silver (10,000m) and gold (5,000) in Daegu 2011, then, gold in both 10,000m and 5,000m in London 2012 and Rio 2016, then, gold in both 10,000m and 5,000m in Moscow 2013, and Beijing 2015, and gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5000m in London 2017 is actually human.
At thirty-nine years of age, Mo Farah, the finest British distance runner of all times, was beaten by a young club runner, Elliss Cross, who paid his 37 pounds Sterling for the race entry himself and put 4 seconds on Mo in the last 800 meters.
Mo Farah responded honestly and praised the young runner, Ellis Cross, who ran 28:40 to Mo’s 28:44. That is not slow-moving, but it is not World Champs running either. I have to say that Ellis Cross is not some five minute miler, 28:40 is moving. Just remember the line all runners live by, one is only as good as their last race.
This piece is by Stuart Weir.
Vitality London 10k, Mens’ elite, photo copyright by Vitality 10000.
Mo Farah was beaten in Vitality London 10,000 road race
Mo Farah made his long-awaited return to racing, after 11 months, in London in the Vitality London 10,000 road race, on the streets of central London. The 39-year-old former Olympic and World Champion could only finish second in 28:44. Afterward, he told BBC: “Today was tough and Ellis did well to beat me. “It is really important to test your body and see where you are. It has been so long since my last race. I love the sport and what I do. I have had a long career. Your body has to be ready. You have to be in the right frame of mind and compete with the guys. You have to say where you are… I ain’t young anymore am I?”
Ellis Cross makes the move on Mo Farah, Vitality London 10k, photo copyright by Vitality 10000.
The winner was Ellis Cross, described by Vitality as “a club runner” (Aldershot, Farnham and District), who had been ninth in the GB Championships last year with a PR of 28:47.51. Cross outsprinted Farah in the closing stages to seal the biggest win of his career in 28:40, four seconds ahead of Farah. Cross commented after the race: “I’m lost for words – I did not expect this in a million years. Honestly, I know it’s a cliché, but I couldn’t believe it. I just felt very good from the get-go. Obviously, I knew Farah had a finish, so for the last 2K I thought I’d try and wind it up a bit – try to sting his legs a little bit to hold him off.
“The route is just amazing – it’s only every so often that you’re able to even take an opportunity like this. To do so well in front of such a big crowd is crazy. But I think it helped – obviously everyone was supporting Sir Mo and nobody knew who I was! So to be able to hold him off and win it – I can’t believe it!”
Founded in 2008, the Vitality London 10,000 has grown each year and is now known as one of the best, and most popular, mass participation 10K events around.
1 Ellis Cross 28:40
2 Mo Farah 28:44
3 Aadan Mohamud 28:48
4 Chris Thompson 29:10
5 Philip Sesemann 29:19
Danny Sidbury (gold medallist) won the Men’s Wheelchair Race from David Weir (silver medallist) and John Boy Smith (bronze medallist).
As well as the elites, more than 16,500 people took part with 2,000 participants who pledged to Run for Ukraine. One hundred percent of their discounted £15 entry fees will be donated by organizers of London Marathon Events to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Mo Farah (silver), Ellis Cross (gold), Aadan Mohammed (bronze), Vitality London 10k, photo copyright by Vitality 10k
