Kenya’s Paul Tanui finishes third as Farah wins 10,000m

 

Silver medallist Uganda's Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (L), gold medallist Britain's Mo Farah (C) and bronze medallist Kenya's Paul Kipngetich Tanui (R) pose 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 / Adrian DENNIS

 

• Paul Tanui finishes third
• Mo Farah wins his sixth World Championship Gold

Kenya's Paul Tanui has said Britain's Mo Farah deserved the 10,000m victory at the IAAF World Athletics Championships at Olympic Stadium in London on Friday night.

Tanui, who struck his third bronze medal at the worlds, said the Briton was simply too strong to be beaten. "It's good I won bronze. Mo Farah was strong. I was not in my perfect form and never had the confidence. The tactics were okay and I am happy to be consistent in major races."

"I still have hopes that one day I will win gold. I will struggle until I achieve it. It was a good chance for Mo Farah as he had the huge crowds cheering him on," said Tanui, the Olympic silver medalist over the distance.

Farah denied Kenyans top spot as he chalked up the victory against the gold-hungry Geoffrey Kamworor, Paul Tanui and Bedan Karoki, who were battling to end the Kenya's 16-year gold drought in 10,000m. Farah struck his tenth global title before an electric crowd at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Farah crossed the line in 26:49.51 – the second fastest time in IAAF World Championships history – ahead of Uganda's 2014 World U20 champion Joshua Cheptegei (26:49.94) and Tanui (26:50.60). But the 34-year-old Briton was tested in a fast race full of surges and ever-changing leads.

It was the first time that seven athletes have run within 27 minutes in an IAAF World Championships and Farah repeated his victory from Moscow in 2013 and Beijing in 2015.

"I knew at 12 laps to go when they went hard from there, I knew it was going to be tough. It was about believing in my sprint finish and knowing that I have been in that position before. It helped a lot having the experience. Anything is possible if you train hard. It was perfect tonight," explained an emotional Farah.

The question as to whether it was going to be a true-run race or tactical affair was answered convincingly in the opening lap, as the Ugandan duo of Cheptegei and Moses Kurong, along with world silver medallist Kamworor – who defeated Farah in Cardiff at the World Half Marathon Championships last year – made their intentions clear that they were not going to make it easy for the Briton who won world doubles in 2013 and 2015 and Olympic doubles in 2012 and 2016.

Farah started out in his customary fashion, happy to sit back in the pack and conserve energy. He even gestured to the crowd clearly wanting to embrace the home atmosphere of his final IAAF World Championships.

Karoki finished fourth, but did at least have the consolation of clocking a personal best of 26:52.12 – the fastest 10,000m time not to win a medal in any global championships and indeed, a time quick enough for gold in every IAAF World Championships except 2003 and 2009, while Kamworor was sixth in a season best time of 26:57.77.