London athletics were top class

On Sunday night the curtain fell on the World Athletics Championship in London after a remarkable 10 days of competition.

Upon watching the action unfold, you couldn’t help but wonder if the curtain was coming down on athletics completely. At least, for a little while. A changing of the guard as we said goodbye to the greatest of all time, Usain Bolt, and one of Britain’s best ever – Mo Farah.

But happy endings are not always a given in sport.

Farah bowed out with a 5000m silver in a thrilling race whilst Bolt’s last visit to the track ended in heartbreak as he pulled up injured with 50 metres left in the 4x100m relay.

But amazingly enough, Bolt’s injury lead to one of the most historic British gold medals in years.

As Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake crossed the line ahead of the USA sprinter Christian Coleman, it was such a bittersweet moment for everyone inside the Olympic Stadium.

The sheer ecstasy of the Brits winning their first ever 4x100m gold lit up the arena.

But you couldn’t help but glance at the legendary Bolt lying on the track, emotionally and physically drained.

There is a poignancy to it all though.

Bolt bowing out, beaten not by the Americans – who seemed to be the only ones capable of defeating him – but by four young Brits without a care in the world.

Bolt himself is no stranger to a carefree attitude which can be backed up by an incredible talent.

The four Brits who glided round that track can only dream of winning a tenth of what the great man did.

But if even one of them can try to fill the massive void left by the Jamaican then they will be doing amazingly well.

The world of athletics is crying out for the next big superstar.

In fact, British athletics is in need of a global icon too.

Mo Farah’s retirement signals the end of another superb career but one which was tinged with sadness as he just missed out on a second gold of the championships.

Farah’s explosive outburst after his final run seemed to also contain a lot of built-up anger from over the years.

His reputation has often been targeted with

Brits winning relay gold lit up the arena