5,000 metres, Men

Britain’s Mo Farah had won the 5-10 double at the London Olympics, in front of adoring home crowds, and he hoped to repeat in Rio. He had also won the double at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships and in 2011, the 5,000 metres at World, with a 10K silver. One week before this final, Farah had already defended his 10K gold medal, and he entered the 5,000 final a clear favorite.

As is common at major championships, the final was run at a relatively slow pace. With three laps remaining, four runners had separated themselves from the pack – Farah, Bahrain’s Albert Rop, Ethiopian Muktar Edris, and very surprisingly, American Richard Chelimo. The pace was not quick enough to maintain the gap, however, as Ugandan Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei joined the lead group with two laps left, with Canada’s Mo Ahmed and Americans Hassan Mead and Bernard Lagat close behind.

At the bell Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet had moved onto Farah’s shoulder. At 300 metres left, Farah maintained his lead as Chelimo and Ahmed clipped heels, but Chelimo stayed on his feet and set chase for Farah, entering the stretch only a stride behind. That was as close as it would get, with Farah repeating his 5-10 double, matching the feat of Lasse Virén from 1972-76. Chelimo took a surprising silver medal, the first in this event for the United States since Bob Schul’s 1964 gold medal, and Gebrhiwet held on for the bronze. Shortly after the finish, Chelimo, Ahmed, and Edris were announced as disqualified for straying inside the rail. After an appeal, Chelimo and Ahmed, who finished fourth, were reinstated, while Edris remained DQed.