BRITON Mo Farah destroyed his rivals to win the European 500 metres title to became only the fifth man to claim the continental distance double after Tuesday's gold medal in the 10000.
Farah's tactics were spot on at a breezy Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, the Somalia-born 27-year-old upping the pace with three laps left and kicking strongly off the final bend to leave Spain's Jesus Espana and Hayle Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan trailing.
Flinging his arms wide as he crossed the line, Farah fell to his knees and kissed the pale-blue track before bursting into tears and embracing local favourite Espana, who pipped him to the gold four years ago.
"My main focus now is to get ready for the world championships next year and then the (2012 London) Olympics," said Farah. "As long as I remain injury free, I'll keep training hard."
The first Briton to take gold in the 10000, Farah won Saturday's shorter event in 13:31,18 ahead of Espana, who sportingly congratulated his vanquisher after the race, in 13:33,12 and Ibrahimov with 13:34,15.
The sense of relief was palpable for the lithe Londoner. "Last time I came second by less than half a second so I had to dig in for four years and get stronger," said Farah.
Mo reigns in Barcelona
BRITON Mo Farah destroyed his rivals to win the European 500 metres title to became only the fifth man to claim the continental distance double after Tuesday's gold medal in the 10000.
Farah's tactics were spot on at a breezy Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, the Somalia-born 27-year-old upping the pace with three laps left and kicking strongly off the final bend to leave Spain's Jesus Espana and Hayle Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan trailing.
Flinging his arms wide as he crossed the line, Farah fell to his knees and kissed the pale-blue track before bursting into tears and embracing local favourite Espana, who pipped him to the gold four years ago.
"My main focus now is to get ready for the world championships next year and then the (2012 London) Olympics," said Farah. "As long as I remain injury free, I'll keep training hard."
The first Briton to take gold in the 10000, Farah won Saturday's shorter event in 13:31,18 ahead of Espana, who sportingly congratulated his vanquisher after the race, in 13:33,12 and Ibrahimov with 13:34,15.
The sense of relief was palpable for the lithe Londoner. "Last time I came second by less than half a second so I had to dig in for four years and get stronger," said Farah.
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