Brilliant Farah maintains domination with epic 10,000m

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Mo Farah launched the World Athletics Championships in scintillating fashion on Friday with another consummate 10,000 meters triumph that further embellished his claim to being the greatest distance racer in the sport's history.

With 55,000 of his home fans roaring their support at the London Stadium, the 34-year-old Briton sprinted away with his 10th consecutive gold medal in a global track final, a dazzling sequence that ranks among the greatest feats in sport.

Britain's Mo Farah celebrates with his family after winning the final of the men's 10,000m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 4, 2017. /Reuters Photo ‍

Farah survived being clipped twice from behind in the final lap, nearly tripping over and being forced to take a step off the track, and he ended with cuts and bruises to his "bad legs" that needed treatment.

The Briton clocked 26 minutes 49.51 seconds, the world's fastest time in 2017, in what proved perhaps the hardest-earned of all his magnificent triumphs as he protected his six-year unbeaten streak in major championships.

Yet, five years to the very night when he won the 25-lap title at his home Olympics on "Super Saturday" in the same London Stadium, Farah had still not lost that invincible aura, clocking a searing 55.63 seconds for the last lap in spite of his stumbles.

Britain's Mo Farah poses on the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's 10,000m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 4, 2017. /AFP Photo

It was the perfect way for him to begin his final championship as a track runner before he turns his attentions to the roads as a marathon man.

"What a way to end my career in London. It's special," Farah said, after hugging his children on the track. "It was one of the toughest races of my life. With one lap to go I nearly get tripped, twice, that was hard. But I just had to be mentally stronger and think I didn't work this hard for nothing."

Britain's Mo Farah races to victory in the final of the men's 10,000m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 4, 2017.

It was the fastest he had run in any of his five global 10,000m victories by more than 11 seconds.

Still, though, he has only done half the job with the 5,000 meters to come next week and the prospect of completing a fifth straight 5,000/10,000 distance double in global championships.

The 16th edition of the Championships could not have been set up more ideally for Britain to celebrate a home triumph in the first medal event and Farah, as ever, did not disappoint his legion of fans.

(Source: Reuters)

8150km