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Europe

Farah upbeat about worlds, Ennis-Hill unsure

By AFP
Published | Updated
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    Mo Farah of Great Britain wins the mens 3000 metres event during the London Anniversary Games International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League International Athletics championships in London on July 27, 2013. Farah could hardly stop chatting away confidently about his chances of tasting more golden success at the world championships in Moscow next month. (AFP)

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    Jessica Ennis-Hill (right) of Great Britain takes the lead against Nadine Hilderbrand of Germany in the womens 100 metres hurdles event during the London Anniversary Games International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League International Athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 27, 2013. (AFP/File)

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    Tiffany Porter of Great Britain (left) Sally Pearson of Australia (centre) and Kellie Wells of the US compete in the womens 100 metres hurdles event during the London Anniversary Games International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League International Athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 27, 2013. Pearson posted her best time of the season. (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Most athletes can hardly raise a word after running hard over 3,000 metres.

But Mo Farah could hardly stop chatting away confidently about his chances of tasting more golden success at the world championships in Moscow next month.

Not that Farah needed to hit top gear to race away from a field that knew the writing was on the wall the moment the British star took the lead 500m out in London on Saturday and pushed the cruise control button.

Twelve months on from 'Super Saturday', the greatest day of his sporting life, Farah was just as impressive as he romped to victory cheered on by 60,000 adoring fans at London's Olympic Stadium.

Farah may now be 30, and have little to prove to the worldwide audience which witnessed his stunning distance double triumph in East London in 2012.

But the drive, desire and determination was there for all to see in his body language as he switched his focus from thanking the British public for roaring him on again to the prospect of a more fame and glory in Russia.

After winning in a personal best of 7:36.85 at the Diamond League meet, the 5,000 and 10,000m Olympic champion, who also holds the world and European titles at 5,000m, enthused: "Right now I could not be more pleased with my build up to the worlds.

"And winning in this way was just another step towards giving it a really big shot in Moscow.

"I am in great shape and ready for it now. I can't wait for them because you want to hit the major championships when you are hitting your own peak. I feel that is happening so there will be no excuses if I don't do well there.

"Tomorrow (Sunday) I'll go to St Moritz to train ahead of the world championships, and hopefully, I'll get on the podium there.

"Of course, it is going to be very tough in the worlds. The competition will be fierce again, and I will need to be as good, if not better, than 12 months ago. There are guys who will see me as a danger because of last year but I will only care about me and concentrate on my own performances."

Farah took over the spotlight from Friday's 100m drawcard Usain Bolt, who still had the last say Saturday when he anchored the Jamaica 4x100 team to victory in a meeting record of 37.75 secs.

Bolt, who won three Olympic golds last year to make it six in total, was even more upbeat about the possibility of setting a new world record or two at the world championships after a Diamond League meeting which recreated some of the London 2012 atmosphere.

The fastest man on the planet insisted: "I would love to set a new world record in Moscow. We will have to wait and see but I feel like I am gradually getting to my best and you never know."

However, Britain's Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill was far less confident about her Moscow prospects after running a solid 100m hurdles and finishing well down in the long jump on Saturday.

The 26-year-old is trying to overcome an Achilles tendon injury and is unsure if she will be fit in time to take part in Russia.

"It's frustrating, because I always want to be at my best and I'm obviously not at my best at the moment," she said.

"It's that difficult decision of whether I am ready enough to go and contend.

"And I hate making the decision as well. I think I am going to have to sit down with my coach (Toni Minichiello) and have a chat and see what's best."