Kenya’s Isaiah Koech literally settled for the bronze medal in the 5000 metre race at the world championships in Moscow. Koech looked poised to grab silver behind Mo Farah but he slowed down in virtually the last metre and allowed Hagos Gebrehiwet to nip him. Both were timed at 13:27.26 behind Mo Farah who won in 13:26.98.’

The race was characterized by a masterful tactical display by Mo Farah who often surged into the lead to slow down the pace, keeping in mind that a slow pace favours Mo who has a devastating finishing kick.  Mo has used this tactic to beat the Kenyans in the last 3 major 5K and 10K races going back to the 2012 Olympics. On that occassion, even the legendary Kenenisa Bekele had no answer for Mo.

For a moment it appeared that this race would be different when Isaiah Koech and Thomas Longosiwa too off on the second lap and set up a searing pace that left them 20m ahead of the rest of the pack. Koech ran that lap in 61 seconds. But he promptly slowed down and ran the 3rd lap in 66 seconds, thus allowing Mo to catch him again. But we give Koech credit for trying something. Longosiwa and Soi finished 4th and 5th respectively.

All the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners are capable for running the 5K in 12:50. That is the kind of pace that would have beaten Mo on this day. But for various unknown reasons, they settled for a slow pace that favoured Mo. However we must give Mo plenty of credit. He is indeed a masterful tactician ; he employes the same tactic in every race and slows down the race whenever he can to ensure he has enough energy left for the last lap.