Farah opens outdoor season with world-leading mark

EUGENE, Oregon: Britain’s double Olympic champion Mo Farah surged into the lead with 60 metres remaining to claim victory in the fastest 10,000 metres of the year at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League on Friday.

Farah shook off a valiant challenge by Kenyan William Sitonik to win his first outdoor race of the year and kept alive a five-year winning streak at the distance as he clocked an Olympic-qualifying time of 26 minutes, 53.71 seconds.

“I don’t want to lose here,” said the Briton, who trains in nearby Portland.

Sitonik finished second in a lifetime best 26:54.66 with Ethiopian Tamari Toga third in 26:57.33 as five runners broke 27 minutes.

Though Farah claimed victory on a crisp, cool evening, the 33-year-old Olympic favourite was not overly delighted with his performance. “It was good to run sub-27 (minutes),” he said. “But honestly, I was kind of disappointed. I was hoping to run a lot faster than that,” he added.

“Sometimes, you know, it’s your first race and then I have to make the decision to continue pushing or try and win the race.”

He also was a little disappointed that the race had not attracted a stronger field in which he had to open his outdoor season. Farah, who said he was in great shape, stayed near the front until slightly past mid-race before dropping a little behind the leaders. He worked his way back to the head of affairs with less than three laps.