Farah overcomes spiked leg to win race

  • 21/02/2016
Mo Farah (Getty)
Mo Farah (Getty)

Mo Farah has suffered a cut that left blood streaming down his leg -- but it couldn't stop the world's leading distance runner recording his first track victory of the Olympic year in Glasgow.

A month after Britain's double Olympic champion was beaten into second place at the boggy Great Edinburgh cross country meeting, he returned to Scotland to make amends by winning the 3000 metres in the more comforting surrounds of the Emirates indoor arena.

After a six-week training spell in Ethiopia, the 32-year-old was presented with a simple task against limited rivals as he brushed aside the injury caused by a stray opposition spike to win in a modest seven minutes 39.55 seconds.

"I have a few cuts," Farah told reporters at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix.

"I was pushed around but that is racing. It happens.

"The most important thing is to win in front of the home crowd. Now I'll concentrate on the World Half Marathon Championships (Cardiff next month) and it would be nice to get another title if I can."

Farah, who is expected to defend his Olympic 5000 and 10,000 titles in Rio de Janeiro in August, had been fancied to target Dave Moorcroft's long-standing British record of 7:32.79 in Glasgow.

Poor pacemaking quickly put paid to that idea, though, and he was content to ease away from Kenyan runner-up Augustine Choge (7:40.66) some 300 metres from home.

AP