Alexander’s a great send-off
MO FARAH says the emotions will be running high when he makes his final appearance on a British track at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium tomorrow.
Eight days after signing off his championship career in London with 10,000m gold and 5,000m silver at the World Championships, Farah will run the 3,000m at the Muller Grand Prix Birmingham.
There will be one final track outing to follow in Zurich before he switches his focus to the marathon.
“It will be emotional,” said Farah, 34, who ran 7mins 32.62secs at this event last year to break David Moorcroft’s 34-year-old British record. “I’m very proud of what I have achieved in my career. It has been a long journey but I hope I have left a legacy for the younger kids to show anything is possible in life.
“To get the opportunity to say goodbye to the track in front of a British crowd means a lot to me and I hope I can take everything in.
“I’ve run many great races at the Alexander Stadium over the years, and have a history there, so it’s a fitting venue for my last UK track race.”
Farah’s race will climax the Diamond League meeting, which will feature many of Britain’s medal winners from the World Championships, including Dina AsherSmith, who won 4x100m relay silver.
Asher-Smith also came agonisingly close to bronze in the 200m despite having metal pins inserted in a broken foot in February.
The Londoner says she is ready to remain Britain’s iron lady of the track as she looks to take the next step and challenge for major medals in the future.
“They can stay in for the rest of my life,” said Asher-Smith, 21, who faces double world 200m champion Dafne Schippers over 100m.
“I’m used to it now, but I wasn’t ready for the pain of putting metal inside a bone, it’s not nice. When the anaesthetic and painkillers wear off your body is just saying, ‘You have wedged two bits of metal inside a bone’. If I have the pins taken out I would have to go through the same rehab again.
“I’m really happy with how the 200m went considering the injury and then to get a silver in the relay, but now I have to think about pushing for global medals.” little to gloss over a shocking effort with the ball from the tourists.
Stokes and Moeen both fell playing aggressive shots to Chase as England moved to 506-6 either side of Jonny Bairstow being bowled for 18 by West Indies captain Jason Holder.
Cook’s dismissal, the former England skipper trapped lbw on review by Chase, then wrapped up the innings.
“To see him score 243, whether it’s a good wicket or not, is a fantastic achievement,” said Malan.
“Throughout his innings he was so disciplined. He did not stray once from the first over of the match to the over in which he got out.”