MO FARAH labelled his latest 5000m title the sweetest of his career so far after he stormed to World Athletics Championships gold in Moscow last night, writing his name into athletics history in the process.

Farah made sure of his legacy in the Luzhniki Stadium as he completed the world championships long-distance double of topping the podium in both the 10,000m and 5000m.

Add that to his double at London 2012, not to mention his gold and silver from Daegu two years ago, and it is not hard to see why even Lord Sebastian Coe has called him Britain's greatest-ever athlete. It was this win, though, six days after wrapping up the 10,000m crown, that truly proved his greatness.

With American training partner Galen Rupp not on his shoulder to protect him, the Brit had to earn it the hard way with a courageous show of individual distance running.

None of his main rivals for the 5000m crown had taken part in the 10k last weekend and the fresher Kenyans and Ethiopians did their best to disrupt Farah; Isiah Koech and Edwin Soi both made breaks early on. None of those attempts managed to stick as Farah and the rest of the group reeled them back in building up to the inevitable sprint finish, Farah's speciality.

However, even then it was not a formality for Farah, as Koech pressed him all the way home. The 30-year-old, though, found another gear when it mattered most to take gold in a time of 13min 26.98sec.

After crossing the line the Somalian-born athlete admitted that a stitch in the early going had threatened to derail his chances. "This was by far the sweetest of victories for me," said Farah.

"I had a stitch early on in the race, it took a lot to get over that. My legs were ok but certainly a lot more heavy than the other guys that had not run the 10k. I thought the race would go harder but it suited me. It all worked out well and I managed to go to the front to control the race.

"I was confident from having won a fast 1500m and some quick finishes in recent races that if it came down to the end with my speed I would be able to come home strong."

As the reigning world and Olympic double champion, a feat that only Kenenisa Bekele has before accomplished, Farah appears to have little left to conquer on the track.

But Bekele's world records are there to tempt him and Farah admitted afterwards that while this was not the event to try and break the record, it might be something he considers soon.

"I would like to run a decent time, it would be great but the most important thing is to win medals in my career," he added. "Yes it would be nice to get close to the record, the great athlete Kenenisa has both the 5k and 10k and we have seen what he is capable of. But a World Championships is not the place to try and do it, you are covering other people with endurance and speed, mentally it is too hard."

Farah's two golds and Christine Ohuruogu's success in the 400m are Britain's three medals at these championships so far but there is the potential for still more to come on the final weekend.

West Linton's Chris O'Hare was a shock qualifier through to the 1500m world final after coming home fourth in his semi-final. He became the first Brit for six years to make it into a 1500m showpiece and he could not quite believe he had managed it afterwards.

"I will go away and think about what I can do in the final during the recovery; I will have my goals about what I can realistically do and then I will shoot for a bit higher than that."

Elsewhere, Scot Eilidh Child was also in impressive form less than 24 hours after finishing fifth in the 400m hurdles final as she ran the lead-off leg for the British quartet in the 4x400m relay.

The 26-year-old showed remarkable powers of recovery as the team of Child, Shana Cox, Margaret Adeoye and newly crowned world champion Ohuruogu breezed to the win they needed in their first round to qualify comfortably for Saturday's final.

There wasn't such good news for Laura Muir, however, as she went out in the semi-finals of the 800m, the youngster finishing seventh in her semi-final in a time of 2:00.83 minutes.

The men's 4x400m relay squad just missed out on a medal as they came home agonisingly in fourth but Adam Gemili is certainly a medal prospect after he smashed his personal best in the 200m semi-finals.

The 19-year-old became only the second Brit after John Regis and the first-ever European teenager to break 20 seconds as he won his semi in 19.98 seconds.

And with the final set for Saturday the youngster is hoping he can challenge for the medal places alongside the legend that is Usain Bolt. "I don't see why I cannot get a medal," Gemili said. "But that is not the goal for me, I want to go out and run hard and execute my race like I know I can and anything else is a bonus.

"I was in shock going over the line and seeing the time. Looking around, I did not quite realise it was me that had run it until I looked up at the big screen," he added with a smile.

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