Distance king Mo Farah storms to 10th world title

Mo Farah launched the World Athletics Championships in scintillating fashion on Friday with another consummate 10,000 metres 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.

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.

Yet still he was able to unleash one more trademark burst down the home straight to speed away from Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s Paul Tanui.

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.

Silver medallist Cheptegei, just 20, clocked a lifetime best 26:49.94, chasing Farah all the way to the line, and Tanui 26:50.60.

World Athletics Championships organisers rebuffed criticism from Usain Bolt about his starting blocks in the 100 metres on Saturday, insisting they had been checked and were the same model used in Beijing two years ago.

Bolt was highly critical of the blocks after his sluggish performance in Friday’s first round.

“That was very bad,” he told reporters after recovering from a dismal start to win his heat in 10.07 seconds. “I stumbled a little bit coming out of my blocks. I’m not really a fan of these blocks. These are the worst blocks I have ever experienced. I have to get the start together as I can’t keep doing this.”

Pressed on what exactly was wrong with them, he said: “It’s shaky. When I did my warm-up and pushed back, it fell back. It’s just not as sturdy.”