Farah aiming to remain focused despite hype

MO FARAH is adamant he will not let his focus waver, despite his elevation to sporting super-stardom.

Farah (below), who won at a canter over two miles at an event i n Birmingham on Sunday, said: ‘If I wasn’t running well and winning medals I wouldn’t be in this situation, so it’s important that you get on with what you do and what got you there and you don’t forget that.

‘Next year it’s going to be a harder year, because there are a lot more people with their eyes on me, who are hungry and want to beat me.

‘When you are at the top it’s hard to stay at the top, so I’ve got to keep that in my mind and stay motivated.’

And he only needs to take a leaf out of Usain Bolt’s book i f he requires any reassuring of the recipe for sustained success.

The pair, who memorably swapped celebrations on the podium at London 2012, share the same agent and Farah said: ‘ I’ve known him for so long. When I got married he sent me a video message to congratulate me. ‘ He’s just a normal guy you can have a laugh with and he’s a great athlete. What he’s done for the sport is unbelievable.

‘ Not many people used to be big fans of athletics — it was always football.

‘But thanks to him there’re lot more people watching athletics.’ AN ATHLETICS official has died after he was struck by a javelin at a meeting in Dusseldorf on Sunday. The German official, Dieter Strack, 74, was hit in the throat by the javelin as he went to measure a throw on Sunday. He was taken to hospital and died from his injuries yesterday. The website of the local athletics federation described Strack as ‘much-loved’. ‘All of us who were there are horrified and in shock... We will always remember Dieter,’ said a federation statement.