by Larry Eder
Mo Farah, London 2012, Olympics, photo by PhotoRun.net
Mo Farah has won the double at the London Olympics! His dreams have come true! Winning the 10,000 meters last Saturday, August 4, and now, on August 11, Mo Farah, using a grueling last mile and tough last lap, won the 5,000 meters.
Here is how he did it!
Fifteen of the best 5,000 meter runners in the world got off on a pedestrian pace in the 5,000 meters, hitting 70.6 for the first 400 meters and hitting 1,000 meters in 2:55.40, as Isaih Kiplangat Koech of Kenya lead. Mo Farah was at the very back of the pack, as Galen Rupp, Lopez Lomong and Bernard Lagat could be found near the midpack.
Lopez Lomog took the field through 2,000 meters, run in an even slower three minutes, one second at the 2000 meters was hit in 5:56.70.
Yenew Alamirew, with Dejan Gebremeskel in tow (the fastest man in the world over 5,000 meters in 2012). Alamirew hit the 3,000 mark in 8:42.95, a 2:48 for the third 1,000 meters. The entire field was there. No one was lost.
The pace quickened, finally, as Dejan Gebremeskel took the lead, running 2:30 for the next 1,000 meters, and hitting the 4000 meters in 11:16.47
Mo Farah had been staying up close, and had, in fact lead for bit.
With two laps to go the racing really began. Mo Farah lead with Dejan Gebremeskel, and as the pack, with Longosiwa, Lagat, Koech, Iguider and Rupp, the pace quickened. Farah took a minimal lead, but was, as is his habit, increasing the pace, to take some of the kick and vigor out of his competitors legs.
The leaders hit the bell with 12:48 on the clock.
Mo Farah’s turnover quickened. As he charged through the last lap, Longosiwa was right behind him, with Gebremeskel there as well.
Farah’s face was pained as he charged through this last 400 meters, timed in 52.94, we would find out.
Mo Farah lead down the straightaway, as Bernard Lagat made a game move from ninth to fourth, not getting any closer. Galen Rupp ran hard, finishing seventh.
Up front it was Mo Farah, who pushed and kept Longosiwa behind him. Longosiwa faltered and Gebremeskel passed Longosiwa, but could get no closer to Mo Farah, who ran a spectacular last mile of 4:00.00 and then added a 52.94 for the last 400 meters, to take the gold in the 5,000 meters, completing his double, and joining Emil Zatopk, Vladimir Kuts, Lasse Viren, Miruts Yifter and Kenenisa Bekele as the only men to double at 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, taking gold in both.
Mo Farah took the gold in 13:41.66, the slowest time since Mexico in 1968 for an Olympic 5,000 meter final. Dejan Gebremeskel took the silver in the 5,000m, running 13:41.98, as Thomas Longnosiwa of Kenya took the bronze in 13:42.36. Bernard Lagat of the US took fourth in 13:42.99, with Isiah Koech, who took fifth in 13:42.83 and Abdaalati Iguider, taking sixth in 13:43.83. Galen Rupp took seventh in 13:45.04.
Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico was eighth in 13:45.30. Hayle Ibramov of Azbekistan was ninth in 13:45.37. In tenth, Lopez Lomong ran 13:48.19. Hagos Gebhriwot was eleventh (second fastest time over 5000 meters in the world, and he is a junior.
At the end of this evening, Mo Farah is the best long distance runner in the world in 2012, with two golds in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters. His brilliant runs over the last kilometer of each race showed that Mo Farah can beat the world! And, he did!
Amazing race!
