• Diamond League

Farah smashes British record in Zurich

ESPN staff
August 19, 2010
Mo Farah broke David Moorcroft's 28-year-old 5000m record © Getty Images
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Mo Farah became the first British man to run the 5000 metres in under 13 minutes at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich.

Farah could only manage fifth behind Ethiopia'sTariku Bekele, but in crossing the line in 12:57.94, he obliterated the 28-year-old British record set by David Moorcroft in Oslo in 1982.

"I've been waiting for this for so long," said Farah. "For the last four years it's been there and thereabouts. I knew it would come soon but I didn't know how soon.

"I'm just over the moon. To go under 13 minutes is an awesome feeling. When David Moorcroft ran that time, it was a world record, so that shows you how much athletics has moved forward."

Stephanie Twell ran a lifetime best of 4:02.54 to finish third in the 1500m, while her team-mate Lisa Dobriskey was fourth.

European bronze medallist Chris Tomlinson leapt 7.97m to take third in the long jump.

Meanwhile, European champion Andy Turner could only managed eighth in the 110m hurdles as America's David Oliver maintained his unbeaten run in the event. Oliver tripped as he crossed the line in 12.93 seconds, just six hundredths of a second outside Dayron Robles' world record.

Veronica Campbell-Brown snatched victory from Carmeleta Jeter in the women's 100m with a run of 10.89, while Allyson Felix was crowned 400m Diamond League champion after clocking 50.37 seconds to beat world indoor champion Debbie Dunn and add the 400m crown to her 200m title.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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