Solid Gold for Fly-Mo Farah in Distance Double

On a magical evening, in a stadium full of ear-splittingnoise, Mo Farah moved up into the rank of ‘legend’. With a simply amazing exhibition of fast pace, superlative judgment and courage in the realms of expletives deleted, he ran like a god, way past the world’s finest middle-distance runners, to fulfil his Olympic goal – a second gold medal at London 2012.

Only a week ago, he delivered to his adopted country, Great Britain, the 10,000 metres gold medal. On this Saturday night, he secured his place in the kingdom of the gods by winning the 5,000 metres gold. Few athletes have ever applied that kind of domination over the greatest on the planet. No Briton has even got close. But this man, Mo Farah, born in Somalia and raised in west London has written his own astonishing story in these London Olympics.

The 29 year old, at the pinnacle of his powers, and won his race with an assurance which oozed maturity and his very own coming-of-age.

He matched his talent against the manoeuvrings of the talented Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes – and kicked, then kicked again and again for the finishing line like a lion in for the kill.  He ran a race planned to pure perfection.

He had appeared in the stadium to a huge ovation, the kind which he’d probably never experienced before. Yet he showed not even a hint of pressure. After almost strolling at the back of the field through a very slow opening 1000m, he moved like a panther through the field as the pace grew more vigorous.

His reputation preceding him, we spectators sensed the rest of the field glancing across at him surreptitiously, looking more than a bit worried.

Going into the second 1000m, he made his move and forged his way to the front.

The noise was deafening as the stadium screeched support that rose to a massive crescendo that should have been heard in Surrey, but Mo was the calmest man in the Stratford Olympic stadium.

With five laps the Ethiopians began to run harder and harder. There were only four left when Mo made another surge forward.

With three laps to go, he was lying in third place and we could feel that Mo had it in him to strike for glory. Then, with the pace lifting and lifting, Mo hit the front.

And then he made it clear that no-one was going to pass him – no-one.  And with the ease of the superstar he undoubtedly is, he took the race by the scruff of the neck to hit the finishing line with that glorious look of his that says, “Who, me?”

What a winner.  What a true athlete Mo is – and what a gentleman too.

Congratulations, Mo Farah – you’re a star and a double Olympic champion.