Mo Farah still on track for historic 'double-double' at Rio 2016 despite slip in 5000m heat
Briton qualifies for final despite stumbling again
Moh Farah of Great Britain (left) stumbles during the men's 5000m heat (Photo: Getty Images/Cameron Spencer)
Mo Farah's bid for a repeat distance double is still on track at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games despite another stumble in the 5000m heats. Farah, who won both the 5000m and the 10,000m at London 2012, successfully defended his title at the longer distance in a dramatic final last Saturday when he recovered after tumbling to the track.
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He tripped slightly after being clipped by another runner on the last lap of the 5000m on Wednesday morning (17 August) as well, but was quickly back into stride and ran comfortably with the leading pack to finish third in 13 minutes, 25.25 seconds. Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia won the heat in 13:24.65.
"I've got such a long stride ... I always get tripped up or tangled up with someone," Farah said. "But I managed to stay on my feet. It's quite nerve wracking."
The Somali-born British runner is a strong favorite for the 5k final on Friday, having won all major races over 5000m since 2011.
Rio 2016 athletics: schedule and results
Kenyans continue run 'over the fences'
In the 3000m steeplechase, Conseslus Kipruto took his turn to win another Kenya Olympic gold medal, winning in record time to continue the country's incredible streak.
The two-time world championship silver medallist took the early lead and then settled behind American Evan Jager, timing his run until surging back into the lead as the bell sounded and finishing in 8 minutes, 3.28 seconds, breaking the Olympic record in the process. Kenya has won the event at every Olympic Games dating back to 1984.
Conseslus Kipruto celebrates his record run (Getty Images/Cameron Spencer)
Two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi was later disqualified, losing the bronze medal he thought he had won before announcing his retirement.
A jury decided Kemboi stepped off the track after clearing a water jump during the final. The decision was made after a protest by the French team, and France's Mahiedine Mekhissi was awarded the bronze after finishing fourth.
Kemboi came in third behind Jager and said after the race that it was his last, ending a career that included Olympic titles in Athens in 2004 and London in 2012, and four straight world titles from 2009-15.
Semenya on course for gold
Meanwhile, Caster Semenya of South Africa cruised into the semi-finals of the 800m, easily winning her heat to confirm her as the favourite for the Olympic title.
Semenya earned a spot in the semi-finals of the 800m after winning her heat on Wednesday (Getty Images/Ian Walton)
Semenya has dominated the season so far and she ran with the ease of the champion she once was. She won her heat in 1:59.31 seconds, almost four seconds off her season's best time.
Good samaritan
Abbey D'Agostino, the US 5000m runner who stopped to help a fallen competitor back to her feet, tore a ligament in her knee and will not be able to run in the final.
D'Agostino finished the race on Tuesday (16 August) after helping Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand back up and urging her to finish. The two clipped heels during the late part of the race and tumbled to the ground.
D'Agostino will not compete in the 5000m final after an injury to her right ACL (Getty Images/Patrick Smith)
Race officials allowed both runners into Friday's final, but D'Agostino won't be competing. She was carted off the track in a wheelchair and an exam later showed she has torn her right anterior cruciatel ligament.
