Farah warms up for European Cup 10000m with British record
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| Mo Farah improved on his own British record clocking 27.44 to win the Bupa London 10000m on Monday. |
Farah clocked 27:44 as he out-sprinted Kenya's world record holder Micah Kogo to clinch victory by five seconds and post the second best time by a European on a certified course.
Only Vasil Matviychuk has gone faster on a flat circuit, when the Ukrainian ran 27:28 in the Italian city of Rovereto three years ago.
Farah's record was six seconds quicker than his previous best, set at the same race in the British capital last year.
Great Britain's Chris Thompson, who recently ran 27:29.61 on the track for the third fastest British time ever, was third in 28:17.
"I knew I was in great shape coming into the race and I was confident," said Farah.
Farah has recently returned from training in Kenya alongside Kogo, who holds the world best with 27:01, and the pair were in front from the gun. Just after the halfway point, they broke clear of Thompson and another Kenyan, Gordon Muhugu, who finished fourth.
With two kilometres remaining, Olympic 10000m bronze medallist Kogo moved ahead of his rival but, spurred on by racing in front of a home crowd, Farah refused to throw in the towel and hit the front with 200m to go before finding another gear with the line in sight.
"My aim was to come out and run hard and, if the pace was good, just to go with it. I love London and I get loads of support. With 200m to go, I just went 'boom'. I'm now excited and looking forward to the European Cup 10000m next weekend," said Farah
This year's European Cup 10000m will be held in Marseille, France, on Saturday and there will be huge interest to see what the 2006 European Athletics Championships 5000m silver medallist can do in his second ever race over 25 laps of the track.
He ran 27:44.54 in his debut at the distance two years ago, the fifth fastest time by a European in 2008.
