Little trip not enough to hold back Farah in his bid to achieve double

MO FARAH recovered from a last-lap trip to keep his tilt at another long-distance double alive on a day which saw Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes underline their World Championship medal potential.

Three days on from taking the 10,000m crown, the 32-year-old began his bid to retain the world 5,000m title at the Bird’s Nest.

Like Sunday, though, there was a heart-in-mouth moment as Farah almost hit the deck after a tangle in legs around the final bend, only to regain his balance and finish in 13 minutes 19.44 seconds, 0.06secs.

It was enough to see the Briton qualify behind Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, keeping his hopes alive of a record-breaking third successive long-distance double at major global championships.

“I nearly went down – again,” said Farah. “I hope it doesn’t become third time bad luck.

“I felt all right, I felt good. I have to recover now and get ready.”

British team-mate Tom Farrell and American training partner Galen Rupp will join Farah on Sunday, by which point the British medal haul may have been boosted by the exciting crop of young sprinters.

Teenager Dina Asher-Smith spearheads the women’s charge and laid down the gauntlet on last night, setting a new 200m personal best in the heats.

The 19-year-old crossed the line in 22.22 secs despite clearly easing up towards the end.

A season’s best from Bianca Williams and a solid run from Margaret Adeoye means it will be a three-pronged British attack in the 200m semi-finals.

Danny Talbot missed out on the final of the men’s 200m despite clocking a 20.27s PB in his semi-final, but Hughes will carry Britain’s hopes after winning his race in 20.14.

“It was great,” the Anguilla-born sprinter said. “I just went out, executed my race and tried to stay relaxed and I did that.”