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Farah runs year's fastest 5000m in Oregon

British athletics star Mo Farah has won the 5000 metres at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet in the US.

Mo Farah

British athletics star Mo Farah has won the 5000 metres at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League. (AAP)

British double Olympic champion Mo Farah made his last US track race a special one, running the year's fastest 5000 metres at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon.

Farah, who will be moving up to the marathon after August's IAAF world championships in London, sprinted down the straight to defeat a high-quality field in 13 minutes, 00.70 seconds.

"Everybody was in that race and I used my experience to come away with a win," said the crowd favourite Farah who trains in nearby Portland.

"It's massive, and what a way to end my career in the US.

"This track is where we started in 2011."

The 34-year-old, who plans to double in the 5000 and 10,000 at the world championships, said the race also brought on a lot of pressure.

"There was lots of talk, a lot of youngsters coming through talking a lot. I let my running do my talking. That's what I'm good at," he said.

Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 13:01.21 and Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworwor claimed third in 13:01.35.

Two-times Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor shared spotlight, bounding 18.11 metres on the sun-splashed day, the third longest triple jump ever.

Only he and British world record holder Jonathan Edwards (18.29) have jumped further.

Rio silver medallist Will Claye leaped a wind-aided 18.05 metres for second as he and Taylor duelled for top honours.

The only Diamond League meeting in the US produced five other 2017 leading performances.

Most surprising was Olympic bronze medallist Tori Bowie's victory over a superb field in the women's 200m.

Powering down the straightaway, Bowie, also the Olympic 100 metres silver medallist, clocked 21.77 seconds, 0.14 faster than Rio 400 metres winner Shaunnae Miller-Uibo with Jamaican Olympic 200 metres champion Elaine Thompson running 21.98 for third.

Jamaican gold medallist Omar McLeod showed his form with 2017's best 110 metres hurdles time of 13.01 seconds.

Other top marks for the year came in the mile where Kenya's Ronald Kwemoi ran 3:49.04, Russia's Maria Lasitskene leaped 2.03 metres in high jump and Olympic bronze medallist Ashley Spencer clocked 53.38 seconds in the women's 400 metres hurdles.

Rio bronze medallist Sam Kendricks won a high quality pole vault at 5.86 metres with French world record holder Renaud Lavillenie second at 5.81.

Up-and-coming US sprinter Ronnie Baker won the 100 metres in a wind-aided 9.86 seconds.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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