Mo Farah is the ‘real deal’

Until last year Moorcroft also held the British record. But then Farah came along and nicked it, in a season that also saw him secure the European title.

Farah’s imperious form was on display again as he dominated his 5k heat, having just run the 10k – and collected a world championship silver – on Saturday.

At the last World Athletics Championships in Berlin the Somali-born Brit showed signs of the athlete he has now become – finishing 7th in the 5k, the best-placed European in a field stacked with East Africans.

He has since moved to the US to team up with a new coach, and this summer became the first Brit to run sub 13 minutes.

And this, according to Moorcroft, could be Farah’s year. He has made British distance running “very proud”, Moorcroft says.

The 5k gold on Sunday night is absolutely within Farah’s grasp and, in time, maybe even the world record that was once Moorcroft’s.

The list of owners since is a daunting one – Said Ouita, Haile Gebreselassie, and now Kenenisa Bekele.

Coming from Moorcroft, that is praise indeed.