Lightning does strike twice for Bolt as brilliant Jamaican claims sprint double... and Gemili narrowly misses out on medal

PUBLISHED: 17:18, 17 August 2013 | UPDATED: 19:43, 17 August 2013

Usain Bolt won his seventh World Championship gold medal as he coasted to victory in the 200 metres at the Luzhniki Stadium on Saturday night.

The Jamaican, also a six-time Olympic champion, added 200m gold to the 100m title he won last Sunday, dominating the field to win in 19.66secs, the fastest time in the world this year.

Bolt's compatriot Warren Weir, 23, was second in 19.79secs, a personal best, with American Curtis Mitchell, 24, taking the bronze with a late surge in 20.04secs.

Scroll down to see highlights of the World Championships on day eight

Trailing in his wake: Adam Gemili was unable to replicate his sub-20 second time in the final - but still finished fifth

Picture that: Bolt takes a snap of his countryman and training partner Warren Weir who claimed silver

Like history repeating: Usain Bolt laps up the adulation after his sensational display in the 200m

Sealed with a kiss: Usain Bolt followed up his triumph in the 100 metres by blazing to glory on Saturday

British teenager Adam Gemili, 19, finished fifth in the first senior global final, missing out on a medal by just four hundredths of a second.

His time, 20.08secs, did not quite match the extraordinary performances of Friday, when Gemili twice broke his personal best and became the second British man to dip under 20 seconds, but the teenager's display announced him as a genuine contender on the global stage.

Gemili said: 'I was very close to a medal - just four hundredths and I missed out on the Olympic final (in London last summer) by four hundredths as well, so it's always those fours.

'But as I get older and stronger that will hopefully come down and down and down. Hopefully I'll be up there getting a medal in future years.'

He's done it again: Usain Bolt is mobbed by photographers after claiming his second medal of the championships

Bolt, 26, was in the lane inside Gemili and had made the uncharacteristic gesture of shaking each of his competitors' hands on the start line, but the British athlete was not fazed.

He just smiled, as usual, when the camera panned onto him and kept his cool when Bolt passed him and came out of the turn ahead before extending his lead down the home straight.

Bolt ran 19.99secs in Crystal Palace just before his 19th birthday; Gemili has now clocked 19.98secs after just 18 months of serious, full-time training.

The Jamaican also finished eighth in his first World Championship final in Helsinki in 1995, struggling to finish after suffering an injury, while Gemili has already achieved a highly creditable fifth place.

Nobody is saying Gemili will be better than Bolt, but the signs are certainly encouraging for a British teenager who apparently has the world at his feet.

Over the line: Usain Bolt saw off the competition again to storm to glory in the 200 metres final

Lightning does strike twice: Usain Bolt claimed his second individual gold medal of the Championships

Gemili said: 'It's an unbelievable experience to be in that final on the outside Usain Bolt and just being in the top eight and finishing fifth. I'm just very proud, very happy and very grateful to be in this position. 'It was just after Bolt and the whole stadium erupted and I thought: "One day hopefully I'll be in that position." It put a smile on my face and helped me stay relaxed for my race.'

Bolt's dominance shows no sign of abating and another victory in the 4x100m relay on Sunday will see him equal American legend Carl Lewis' record of eight world gold medals.

'I haven't really thought about that,' he said. 'I've done a lot throughout the years. 'My main goal was to make myself a legend and I solidified that at London last year.

'I'm not really worried about winning medals and counting them. 'My next big goal is to go to the Olympics and do something that has never been done before - winning the 100m and 200m.'

World Championships Day 8 highlights

Sealed his place as one of Britain's greatest ever athletes
Is the fifth world or Olympic gold medal for the 30-year-old
Ahead of race, Farah told watching public to 'chill out and make a cup of tea'
Fellow athlete Jessica Ennis and presenter Claire Balding among the first to Tweet their delight

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 19:43, 16 August 2013 | UPDATED: 20:18, 16 August 2013

Mo Farah sealed his status as one of Britain’s best ever athletes tonight as he sprinted to victory in the 5,000m at the World Championships.

Farah, who also took the title in the 10,000m event last Saturday knelt down and kissed the ground after crossing the finish line in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

It is the fifth world or Olympic gold medal for the 30-year-old after he also won the 5,000m and 10,000m at last year’s Olympics and the 5,000m at the World Championships in Daegu in 2011.

History made: Farah recorded an historic 'double double' holding both 5,000m and 10,000m Olympic and world titles

Top of the world: Farah came through for his third World Championship title

Delight: Farah celebrates after winning the Men's 5,000m final

Farah and American training partner Galen Rupp were the only two athletes attempting both events, with doubts cast over how successful Farah would be after only having six days to recover from the first race.

Former middle distance champion Lord Coe said earlier that if Farah won the 5,000m he would be the 'greatest British athlete of all time”.

He said: 'If Mo wins the 5,000m then you’d have to say he is the greatest British athlete of all time. He would be ahead of all of us with five global golds.

'I’d say Mo would have no equal in Britain if he goes on to achieve the double following on from his two golds in London. It would be a fantastic achievement.”

Ahead of the race, Farah told the British public: 'My message to everyone watching on TV is chill out, make a cup of tea, Mo’s on the track!”

Family affair: Gold medalist Mo Farah poses with his daughter Rhianna on the podium during the medal ceremony

On the podium: (Left to right) Silver medalist Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia, gold medalist Mo Farah and bronze medalist Isiah Kiplangat Koech of Kenya

Sporting legend: Farah has to be considered one of Great Britain's best ever athletes

Following his victory, a clearly elated Farah walked around the track with a Union flag draped over his shoulders before jumping up in the air in excitement.

Smiling and waving at fans, he then made his way to where his wife Tania and daughter Rihanna were sitting in the crowd, hugging them both as hundreds of camera bulbs flashed in his face.

He told the BBC: 'I never thought in my career I would achieve something like this.

'This is something I’ve worked so hard for. All I was thinking about was my kids and how much I’ve been away from them.”

He said he found the race, which saw him stay behind at first before powering to the front in the final laps, a lot harder than the earlier event.

'It was hard,” he said. 'It was a lot more hard work than the last, I put so much hard work into it.”
Farah also thanked his team and the public for the support they had given him.

'I had a lot of pressure but, at the same time, I enjoy it,” he said.

'I’m very proud to represent my country and hold the Union Jack.”

Support: Mo Farah with his daughter Rhianna and wife Tania on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's 5000 metres

Again: Farah celebrates winning gold in the men's 5,000m final

Too much: Farah falls to the floor after winning gold in Moscow

Farah became one of the top trending topics on Twitter with many taking to the site to congratulate him.

Fellow athlete Jessica Ennis wrote: 'Never in doubt! Another amazing performance! Go @Mo-Farah.”

TV presenter Clare Balding tweeted: 'Unbelievable! Mo Farah is just immense.”

The Somalia-born long-distance runner won legions of fans with his gutsy performance at London 2012, while his 'Mobot” pose became one of the most memorable images of the Games, with Usain Bolt, Robbie Williams and Boris Johnson among the many famous faces pictured mimicking it.

He topped off an eventful year by being made a CBE in the New Year Honours list but missed out on a top three position in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, having to settle for fourth place behind winner Bradley Wiggins, Jessica Ennis and Andy Murray.

Held on: Farah looked tired towards the end, but powered through for a momentous victory

Close call: Farah saw off rival Isiah Koech of Kenya after a tight final 150 metres

Farah, who coined the motto 'Go Hard or Go Home”, spent most of his early life in Djibouti and arrived in London when he was eight to join his father.

He settled in Hanworth, west London, and began running at school after being spotted by his PE teacher.

His story from the poverty-stricken streets of Somalia to top flight athletics is one that serves as an inspiration, both in Britain and his place of birth.

His charity - the Mo Farah Foundation - helps to provide life-saving aid to some of the millions of people facing starvation and disease in East Africa.

Farah spends most of his time in the United States where he has been able to train away from the spotlight.

He currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Tania and three daughters, Rihanna, Aisha and Amani.

Aside from athletics, Farah’s other sporting passion is Arsenal football club.

Memories: Mo Farah poses with his two gold medals from the London 2012 Olympics

Sporting greats: Mo Farah (left) doing Usain Bolt's signature victory pose as Bolt mimics Farah's 'Mobot' on day 15 of the London 2012 Olympics

katchingmy

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Lightning does strike twice for Bolt as brilliant Jamaican claims sprint double... and Gemili narrowly misses out on medal

Lightning does strike twice for Bolt as brilliant Jamaican claims sprint double... and Gemili narrowly misses out on medal

Friday, August 16, 2013

Mo Farah wins 5km + 10km double in Olympics and World Championships with majestic run in Moscow

Mo makes history! Farah becomes only second-ever athlete to win 5km and 10km double in Olympics and World Championships with majestic run in Moscow

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