by Larry Eder
As he came down the home strait at Hayward Field for the final time last night, the stand was rocking with excitement for Mo Farah. Returning to the scene of his European record run four years earlier, the Olympic champion gave a performance full of fluidity, rhythm and control to reap to victory.
After a long absence from Diamond League 10,000 meter, racing, he was back.
Anytime Paul Tanui would show his cards and pull to the front, Farah would make sure that he sat close enough to pounce, but far enough away to avoid making any tactical mistakes before it mattered.
Whilst what looked to be a battle for supremacy throughout the race between he and the Kenyan, turned out to be a deal made between the two at the start of the race to push the pace in the absence of a top quality rabbit, it at least gave the crowd something to get excited about. Yet when the deal came to end in the final 400m, Farah made sure he wasn’t going to be short changed. Producing a final lap of 56 seconds, that neither Tanui or Geoffrey Kamworor could respond to.
That’s why he is so successful. He knows how to race, he knows how to pace and he knows when he can improve. So as the going got tough at Hayward Field, Farah got tougher. By responding to all that his rivals could throw at him to produce his customary final kick, he showed the steel that will be needed once more when he tries to retain his world championship double later this summer in Beijing.
Yet while few doubted the Briton’s ability to react to the challenge of his competitors, how many of them would have expected him to be so disappointed with victory.
Speaking post race it was clear that in spite of breaking the resistance of the latest pretender to his thrown, world cross country champion Kamworor,, he was still not happy with what he had achieved.
As Farah voiced his disappointment at not getting closer to the ambitious target of 26:30, I began to feel some sympathy, rather than anger at what some might perceive as arrogance: “My aim was definitely to run fast, I wanted to run faster, training’s been going pretty well it’s one of things where you might as well go for it, it’s still early on, that was the aim.” He said
“My aim today was not just to win the race but to run a fast time”
After all, this is a 32 year-old athlete coming towards the twilight of his running career, not a fresh young distance runner who’s sole focus should be on winning an Olympic medal. So as his targets start to change and his goals begin to differ from what we’re used to, I believe that Farah’s wishes should be respected; especially given his medal collection.
That’s not to say we should believe that he would have run that fast even if they’d had the right pacemakers, but just that he deserves to give his all to end his career with times that back up his achievements.
What is also clear is just how wise Farah has become since his success, It clear that he knows when he is capable of running well and when he is not.
So having seen his teammate Galen Rupp run an incredible time in the same race last year, he thought he too could go out there and smash it.
“I know last year Galen ran an amazing time and he had Steve Sambu and the rest of the guys going up to 8k but it was different this year. For me as Mo Farah, I’m getting on a bit so I’ve got to give it a try haven’t I ?” He told the mix zone.
It is on the subject of Rupp that Farah gave his most interesting answer of the evening and potentially provided an ulterior motive for why he had wanted to run fast. Yes he may have been inspired by the American’s run last year, but he also wanted to prove to the man who he believes will be his biggest rival in Beijing, that he is still a faster, better athlete: “Galen I think is my biggest rival, he is a team mate/rival, so hopefully I think in the world’s it will be me him and a few other guys.” he said.
“We are great friends and on the track we try and help each other but at the same time, every one of us when they get on the start line wants to win. He’s still young and he’s coming on, don’t doubt Galen, I think one day he will definitely be an Olympic champion for sure, it’s just a matter of time. For me I’m a little bit older than him and I’m a little bit more experienced and I think that goes a long way.” he added
Before Beijing comes around, Farah will give himself another time challenge when he competes in the 1500m in Birmingham next week, his first race over the distance since that incredible race in Monaco two years ago. While it is unlikely that he will be able to match his performance of that day given the contrasting weather conditions that he is likely to face, you can be sure that the current Mo Farah will be disappointed if he doesn’t get close to it.
