Mo shows guts to see off rivals

SIR MO FARAH overcame stomach cramps and tough conditions to win the Vitality Big Half in London for a second time yesterday.

Around four miles into the halfmarathon, the four-time Olympic champion briefly struggled, clutching his stomach as he chased the leading pair of Bashir Abdi and Daniel Wanjiru.

At one point, Farah trailed by more than 20metres but, having drawn level just before halfway, he burned them off with a sprint finish to win in 61min 15sec, a second clear of training partner Abdi and Wanjiru, the 2017 London Marathon winner who was third. Welsh runner Dewi Griffiths (63:17) was fourth, ahead of Chris Thompson and Wilson Kipsang, the double London Marathon winner who was dropped by the leaders only two miles in.

The race, fought out in 23mph winds, served as Farah’s main preparation ahead of next month’s London Marathon, when he will face worldrecord holder Eliud Kipchoge. ‘ The conditions were tough because of the wind and rain but I got the job done,’ said Farah (below). ‘Training has gone well but I was a bit sluggish early on. It wasn’t a stitch, it was more like cramp and I didn’t know why. I had to dig in and just get through it, which I did. I didn’t feel tired which is a good sign going forward.’ Farah will fly out to Ethiopia later this week to finalise his marathon training. ‘I know I can mix it with those guys for sure,’ he said. Aldershot’s Charlotte Purdue won the women’s race in 70:38, and David Weir took the men’s wheelchair race.