Mo Farah: I'm a marked man in 5,000m Olympic final
• 10,000m champion finishes third in his heat at London 2012
• 'It was like being in the ring with Anthony Ogogo'
• 'It was like being in the ring with Anthony Ogogo'
Email
Mo Farah, second from the right, said his qualification race was 'really rough'. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Mo Farah
says his new status as 10,000m Olympic champion has made him a marked
man, after he qualified for the 5,000m final on Wednesday morning
despite being jostled in the race. "I am definitely a target," said
Farah, whose long stride makes him vulnerable to a congested field.
"I am the Olympic champion over 10,000 metres. You just have to accept it. Hopefully the final won't be as rough because we won't have so many guys. It was really rough. It was like being in the ring with [British boxer] Anthony Ogogo! As soon as they saw me there was a lot of barging and pushing. It was rough but I managed to get through."
Farah finished third in his heat, in a time of 13min 26sec, only the 15th fastest time of the round. Staying with the lead pack, Farah remained in fourth place over the final few laps. When the bell rang Hayle Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan and Isiah Kiplangat Koech both kicked hard, but Farah did not seem his usual self and struggled somewhat with the fast finish despite having run in the slower of the two heats.
The 29-year-old looked weary and admitted as much, reflecting on his experience of winning the 10,000m title and how everything from the race to the media duties afterwards had contributed to an energy sapping 24 hours. "By the time I got back it was a late night and there was a lot of emotion. It is something I had never done before and now I know how much it takes out of you.
"I am definitely tired and I think it showed out there. The legs didn't feel great but that is what happens. Hopefully I will recover well and look forward to the final, forget about what I have done and rest up."
Still the Briton is determined to give it his all and attempt a 5,000m medal to go with his world title over that distance. "There is zero pressure. I am not putting any pressure on myself. It is amazing to have the crowd. I want to do well for the crowd because the support drives you further. Whatever I do I will give 100%. I am full of confidence and having the home crowd will definitely drive me more."
Farah will have his US training partner Galen Rupp alongside him in Saturday's final, as the two friends make a bid to repeat their one-two in the 10,000m.
Plaudits must go to Sophie Hitchon in the hammer who qualified for Friday's final with a British record on her third throw of the morning. The 21-year-old, who only took up the event five years ago having started out as a ballet dancer, was under pressure to come up with a big throw after fouling her second attempt but pulled out a cracker with 71.98m. "I like to put a lot of pressure on myself for some reason," said the former world junior champion. "I knew it was there – I have been throwing really well in training. I knew I was ready and it showed really well out there."
Steve Lewis qualified for the pole vault final with just one jump, clearing 5.50m at his first attempt.
The controversial 800m pick, Lynsey Sharp, who was chosen for the British team despite only possessing a B-standard – at the expense of three A-standard athletes who were judged not to be in form – rewarded her selectors by qualifying for the next round. She finished second in her heat in a time of 2min 0.52sec. The former world champion Caster Semenya also qualified for the semi-finals.
Britain's Daniel Awde, a Hollywood body double for Captain America the movie, was forced to withdraw from the decathlon after two events, having injured his knee in the long jump. Meanwhile, America's real life superhero Ashton Eaton, world record holder in the event, leads the field by 143 points – ahead of compatriot and world champion Trey Hardee.
"I am the Olympic champion over 10,000 metres. You just have to accept it. Hopefully the final won't be as rough because we won't have so many guys. It was really rough. It was like being in the ring with [British boxer] Anthony Ogogo! As soon as they saw me there was a lot of barging and pushing. It was rough but I managed to get through."
Farah finished third in his heat, in a time of 13min 26sec, only the 15th fastest time of the round. Staying with the lead pack, Farah remained in fourth place over the final few laps. When the bell rang Hayle Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan and Isiah Kiplangat Koech both kicked hard, but Farah did not seem his usual self and struggled somewhat with the fast finish despite having run in the slower of the two heats.
The 29-year-old looked weary and admitted as much, reflecting on his experience of winning the 10,000m title and how everything from the race to the media duties afterwards had contributed to an energy sapping 24 hours. "By the time I got back it was a late night and there was a lot of emotion. It is something I had never done before and now I know how much it takes out of you.
"I am definitely tired and I think it showed out there. The legs didn't feel great but that is what happens. Hopefully I will recover well and look forward to the final, forget about what I have done and rest up."
Still the Briton is determined to give it his all and attempt a 5,000m medal to go with his world title over that distance. "There is zero pressure. I am not putting any pressure on myself. It is amazing to have the crowd. I want to do well for the crowd because the support drives you further. Whatever I do I will give 100%. I am full of confidence and having the home crowd will definitely drive me more."
Farah will have his US training partner Galen Rupp alongside him in Saturday's final, as the two friends make a bid to repeat their one-two in the 10,000m.
Plaudits must go to Sophie Hitchon in the hammer who qualified for Friday's final with a British record on her third throw of the morning. The 21-year-old, who only took up the event five years ago having started out as a ballet dancer, was under pressure to come up with a big throw after fouling her second attempt but pulled out a cracker with 71.98m. "I like to put a lot of pressure on myself for some reason," said the former world junior champion. "I knew it was there – I have been throwing really well in training. I knew I was ready and it showed really well out there."
Steve Lewis qualified for the pole vault final with just one jump, clearing 5.50m at his first attempt.
The controversial 800m pick, Lynsey Sharp, who was chosen for the British team despite only possessing a B-standard – at the expense of three A-standard athletes who were judged not to be in form – rewarded her selectors by qualifying for the next round. She finished second in her heat in a time of 2min 0.52sec. The former world champion Caster Semenya also qualified for the semi-finals.
Britain's Daniel Awde, a Hollywood body double for Captain America the movie, was forced to withdraw from the decathlon after two events, having injured his knee in the long jump. Meanwhile, America's real life superhero Ashton Eaton, world record holder in the event, leads the field by 143 points – ahead of compatriot and world champion Trey Hardee.
No comments:
Post a Comment