WELSH TRIO OUT TO SPARKLE IN BRUM
WELSH trio Dewi Griffiths, Brett Morse and Seren Bundy-Davies are preparing for the Diamond League event in Birmingham today.
Bundy-Davies will appear in the women’s 400m alongside former Olympic and world champion Christine Ohuruogu, Morse is taking part in the men’s discus, while Griffiths will join Mo Farah in the 3,000m.
Farah has declared himself vindicated by his decision to stand by Alberto Salazar, the head coach at the Nike Oregon Project, who has consistently vehemently denied the allegations, while Farah has never been accused of any wrong-doing.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency, which launched an investigation into Salazar, has not announced it has uncovered any evidence of wrong-doing.
Farah, who was questioned by USADA lawyers last summer as part of the investigation, has won two Olympic and five world titles over 5,000m and 10,000m since relocating to the United States to link up with Salazar in 2011.
Asked if he felt he had been proven right to remain loyal to the American, he said: “For sure.”
He added: “It’s a new year. What happened last year, I am passed it now. I feel like I have moved on.”
Farah insisted he always had faith no charges would be proven against Salazar.
The 33-year-old said: “There is some kind of chat or news saying that, ‘Oh, everything has been done, there was nothing, and they haven’t found nothing’ - which all along I knew anyway and that is why I stuck by (Salazar).”
Farah was keen to focus on the future rather than reflect on his turbulent 2015, which still brought him two more global titles at the World Championships in Beijing, as he talked about “giving back” to the fans on his first track race of the summer on home soil.
Asked he felt he had let British athletics fans down by pulling out of last year’s race, he said: “I don’t want to let anyone down. I am very grateful when people come out to support me.
“It was just in that moment, I felt I wasn’t myself, I felt like I couldn’t just give what people deserved.
“It’s no point saying, ‘I’m going to give it to them’ - and then not give it to them.
“So for me it was a case of, ‘Get on the flight.’
“That is all gone now, that was all last year, we have all moved on.”
Farah has made an impressive start to the season with victory over 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic eight days ago. That his time of 26 minutes 53.71 seconds was the third quickest time of his career over the distance - and yet still not quick enough to satisfy him - is an indication of the form he feels he is in.
Sunday’s race should not prove too taxing, another step on the road to Rio and the defence of his twin Olympic crowns.
Farah also confirmed that next year’s World Championships in London would be his last major competition on the track.
“2017 will be my last track year,” said the father of four, who will then turn his attention to the road full- time.
“I love what I do, I enjoy it, but, as I’m away so much, I really do miss my kids.
“I am away six months of the year, I am only half there my life.
“I want to be able to spend more time if I can.”
Greg Rutherford, who holds the Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth long jump titles, will also be using the event as the launchpad to the Olympics, which take place in August.
Other British stars competing on Sunday include British 100m record holder Dina Asher-Smith, sub-10 men Adam Gemili and Chijindu Ujah, 2014 World Indoor Champion Richard Kilty, European 100m hurdles champions Tiffany Porter Olympic high jump bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, European 400m hurdles champion Eilidh Doyle and former European 800m champion Lynsey Sharp.
In addition to the best of British, some of the world’s best athletes will also descend on the West Midlands. Olympic champion and 800m world record holder David Rudisha will be one of the stars on show as he competes over the rarely run 600m distance.