04 AUG 2017 REPORT LONDON, UK

FARAH UNSTOPPABLE AGAIN IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LONDON 2017

The Kenyans and Ugandans threw everything at Mo Farah over the first nine kilometres of the 10,000m final but the reigning champion still found himself in the position where he is at his most dangerous and virtually unbeatable: at the front with 800m remaining.

While the Kenyans made it a hard race from the gun two years ago in Beijing, a different gameplan was put into fruition on the opening night of the IAAF World Championships London 2017 on Friday (4) in a bid to spoil Farah’s swansong.

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and the Kenyan trio headed by his training partner Geoffrey Kamworor staked out their claim with an opening lap of 61.02 and while surging was the tactic of the day, there was still a moment of deja vu as Farah nearly fell on the last lap for the second World Championships in a row.

But the sapping variances in pace – and another stumble on the last lap – didn’t sufficiently blunt Farah’s legendary speed as the reigning champion secured his tenth successive major track title, a streak which started all the way back to the 5000m at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, with another irresistible last lap timed at 55.63.

Farah opined beforehand that he wasn’t in his very best shape but now 34, his winning time of 26:49.51 was the second fastest of his career – second only to his European record of 26:46.57 set in Eugene six years ago – as well as the second fastest winning time in championship history. He also covered the second half in 13:13.31 as he was roared to the first half of another potential 5000m/10,000m double. Of note, the fast pace in the second half brought seven runners under the 27-minute mark, making it the deepest race in championship history.

BOLT CRUISES INTO SEMIFINALS

There were also question marks surrounding Usain Bolt’s form and fitness ahead of his last competition before retirement but if he didn’t allay any worries about his well-being in the Monaco IAAF Diamond League last month where he won in a season’s best of 9.95, a relaxed 10.07 in the 100m heats was proof enough that the three-time 100m champion is poised to bow out with his eighth individual title at the World Championships.

Bolt was cumbersome out of the blocks but he didn’t need to unduly exert himself to overhaul James Dasaolu (10.13) and Jimmy Vicaut (10.15), glancing insouciantly across at both of them as he eased past in the sixth heat.

Bolt’s teammate Julian Forte, who was second at the Jamaican Championships, equalled his lifetime best of 9.99 to lead the 100m heats from USA’s Christian Coleman (10.01) and Ivory Coast’s Ben Youssef Meite (10.02).

FAVOURITES PROGRESS FROM 1500M HEATS

The quality of the women’s 1500m heats was such that a sub-4:05 clocking was no guarantee of automatic qualifying into tomorrow evening’s 1500m semifinals.

Despite the relatively benign qualifying conditions on offer – the top six, plus the six fastest time qualifiers – Jessica Judd didn’t leave anything to chance in the first heat, pushing the pace hard through the bell in 2:58.77. Judd had to succumb to the faster finishers but she had split the field sufficiently to finish sixth and secure automatic qualifying in a lifetime best of 4:03.73.