2017 IAAF World Championships

Muktar Edris Ends Mo Farah's Winning Streak

Muktar Edris Ends Mo Farah's Winning Streak

In a jaw-dropping final 100-meter stretch, Muktar Edris became the first man since 2009 to beat Mo Farah in a 5K at a global championship.

Aug 12, 2017 by Taylor Dutch
Muktar Edris Ends Mo Farah's Winning Streak
In a jaw-dropping final 100-meter stretch, Muktar Edris became the first man since 2009 to beat Mo Farah in a 5K at a global championship. The Ethiopian executed a swift kick to win the 5K in 13:32.79 at the IAAF World Championships in London, ending Farah's streak of 10 gold medals at global championships. Farah earned silver with a mark of 13:33.22, and Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo earned the bronze with a final time of 13:33.30.


Farah captured gold in the 5K at the 2011 IAAF World Championships, the 2012 Olympic Games, the 2013 IAAF World Championships, the 2015 IAAF World Championships, and the 2016 Olympic Games. In total, he owns 10 gold medals, the most recent being his 10K victory earlier in the week.

By ending Farah's dominant streak, Edris earned his first-ever global championship medal on the track. Prior to London, his only medal came from finishing third at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships.

nullChelimo's performance took place one year after earning silver to Farah at the 2016 Olympic Games. The U.S. Army standout has earned two medals at global championships for Team USA.

London Stadium was roaring with cheers for hometown favorite Farah, but as the crowd would soon find out, the race didn't stick to the script that track fans have become accustomed to seeing.

From the beginning, the race became an unpredictable and ever-changing battle over pace. Chelimo assumed the lead through the first 400 meters, crossing the split in 1:02 with Farah directly behind him. But by 800 meters, the pace had slowed to a pedestrian 2:12 split.

Fellow British athlete Andrew Butchart attempted to share some of the load and brought the field through the 1200m split in 3:24. Just as quickly, Edris took over as the leader and maintained the pace through 1600m in 4:35, keeping the entire pack in his wake.

Just after 2K, 17-year-old Selemon Bargega jumped to the front and attempted to break the pack apart with a faster pace. The lead didn't last long as Farah overtook him just after 2,400 meters with the entire Ethiopian team lurking behind him.

Impatient with the inconsistent pacing, Patrick Tiernan of Australia surged ahead of the group and established a 20-meter lead on the chase pack which was led by Farah.

As soon as the bell rang on the final lap, the race was on with the all three Ethiopian teammates (Edris, Yomif Kejelcha, and Barega) surrounding Farah who ran against the rail of the track.

With 200 meters to go, it became a four-man battle between Farah, Edris, Kejelcha, and Chelimo. By the homestretch, it was clear that Edris had another gear and he used it to surge ahead of the trio. Farah attempted to catch him on the inside, but was unsuccessful and had to settle for silver. Chelimo was able to close just behind him for bronze.

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