Wilkinson takes a walk into history

CALLUM WILKINSON became the first British race-walker to win a global title for 52 years after glory in the World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Wilkinson, 19, who competes for Enfield & Haringey, won the 10,000m track crown on Saturday to bridge the gap from the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, when Ken Matthews won the 20km title.

Wilkinson, who led from halfway, said: “As I crossed the line it was a massive feeling of relief but also disbelief. I can’t believe I’m world champion.

“I’m sure I’ll get called that at home and won’t even realise it’s me.

“I felt really comfortable going into the last two kilometres. I didn’t even look behind during the last 200m. I knew before the race I could do it but you still have to go out and deliver.”

Wilkinson won in a world-leading 40mins 41.62secs in beating Ecuadorian Jhonatan Amores (40:43:33) and Turkey’s Salih Korkmaz (40:45:53).

Mo Farah, meanwhile, is ready to repel an onslaught from an army of Kenyan rivals in Rio.

Farah, the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion, won the 5000m at the Anniversary Games in 12:59.29 and said: “I’ve had a target on my back for four years. All eyes are on me, a lot of people will be looking at that result.

“I’m sure they all sat around and watched that race and thought, ‘How do we do it, what do we need to do to beat him in Rio?’

“There’s a lot of talk about how the Kenyans are going to come like an army and try to throw me off my game. I know what I would do if I was them, but I’m not going to tell them.”

Britain’s 110m hurdler Andrew Pozzi is confident he will not experience any fitness concerns in Rio after pulling out of the Anniversary Games final – despite running a personal best in the heats.

The 24-year-old qualified ahead of team-mate David Omoregie in 13.19. But injury prevented him from making the start line 90 minutes later as Frenchman Dimitri Bascou won in 13.20.

But Pozzi tweeted: “Cramp killing my day again today. Won’t happen in Rio! Delighted to have run a PB and will be healthy going to Rio.”