Mo Farah wins, defends integrity at Diamond League
Liz Gleadle top Canadian with 4th-place finish in javelin in London
Another testing week off the track ended for Mo Farah in victory, followed by a further defense of his integrity.
In the penultimate race of an illustrious career, the four-time Olympic champion won the 3,000-metre race at the London leg of the Diamond League, while Canadians Liz Gleadle and Christabel Nettey both finished off the podium in there respective events on Sunday.
Gleadle placed fourth in javelin with a distance of 64.47 metres. Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic threw 68.26 for the win, followed by Croatia's Sara Kolak (67.83) and Martina Ratej of Slovakia (64.85).
In the long jump, Netty's distance of 6.63m earned her a fifth-place finish. American Tianna Bartoletta was first at 7.01, whith Serbia's Ivana Spanovic (6.88) and Brook Stratton of Australia (6.79) rounding out the top three.
Meanwhile, The adulation of the Olympic Stadium crowd was savoured by Farah, embarking on a lap of honour and posing for selfies it the venue where he won his first pair of Olympic golds in 2012.
"This is home and there is no place like home," Farah said. "This is where my life has changed. This is where I have made my name. This is where everything was normal."
Such normality is a haven. There is a reason for Farah to be so nostalgic about 2012. It was before the intense scrutiny; before the finger of suspicion was pointed at Farah and his associates.
Farah insists he has always run cleanly and evidence has never been presented to doubt him.
But uneasy questions returned for Farah once he left the London track on a sweltering London summer afternoon having beaten Adel Echaal of Spain.
Farah sick of repeating himself
Questions prompted by data hacked from track's governing body that showed Farah's blood readings were initially flagged as "likely doping" following analysis by an unidentified expert. Another file attached to the same email published by Russian-linked hackers said the British runner's profile was "now flagged as `normal' with the last sample."
"I am sick of repeating myself and you guys are just making something of nothing," Farah said. "As I said, I will never ever fail a drugs test and that is who I am to people who know me. I work hard at what I do and I just carry on enjoying what I do and it comes as a little distraction."
Farah became more irritated as the probing continued in the mixed zone where he was accompanied by his manager and spokeswoman.
"I can only control my legs and what I do and I know there are a lot of people who support me, behind me, the whole nation," Farah said. "It is just a small majority who think to become a success you must be doing something.
"I said I will never fail a drugs test. That is who I am. I believe in clean sports and I just have to enjoy what I do, keep smiling. And let you guys do what you do."
'There is no secret to what I do'
Not that he is happy with the media coverage of his career. Much of that has scrutinized the coach Farah stands by: Alberto Salazar, who is being investigated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency over accusations he skirted anti-doping rules while training some of his athletes at the Nike Oregon Project.
"There is no secret to what I do," Farah said. "My life is not as easy as people think. It is hard work, about grafting. I wish you guys would understand it a bit more and write down the facts. I do what I do, keep smiling."
And keep running, for now. The next time Farah returns to the Olympic Stadium it will be to bid farewell, competing at the world championships before heading into retirement. "I am getting slightly a bit more nervous and a bit, `Oh my god, this is it, this is it,"' Farah said, "but it is normal."