Mo Farah makes history with Olympic 5,000m gold to complete elusive double double

Gold medallist Britain's Mo Farah celebrates on the podium for the Men's 5000m during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 20, 2016. [AFP PHOTO]

Mo Farah is a double Olympic champion for a second time.

Farah, who already had one gold medal under his belt from his 10,000m victory earlier in the Games, added a second tonight to complete the long distance double for a second time following double success in London four years ago.

In doing so Farah becomes only the second-ever man to do it emulating the legendary Lasse Viren, the famous "flying Finn", who did the very same 40 years ago in Montreal.

Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet followed him home to take silver with Bernard Lagat of the United States grabbing bronze in third.

Teammate Andrew Butchart finished a brilliant fourth after a pair of disqualifications ahead of him.

A week after picking himself off the track following a trip to claim 10,000m gold, Farah avoided any such drama and pulled clear down the home straight to cross the line in 13 minutes 3.30 seconds.

He produced a storming final lap of 52.83secs to hold off the challenge of American Lagat, who clocked a personal best 13:03.90, and third-placed Ethiopian Gebrhiwet.

Farah's gold is Team GB's 65th medal overall in Rio equalling the record set in London four years ago.

London 2012 - with 29 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze and 65 medals in all - was Britain's most successful Games since 1908, which also took place in London.