Saturday, January 06, 2007
Mo Farah is refusing to heap undue pressure on himself despite his emergence as Europe's top cross-country runner.
Last summer's European 5,000 metres silver medallist capped a marvellous year with a runaway EuroCross success against far more experienced rivals, including six-time champion Sergiy Lebid, last month.
The Somalia-born athlete, who is building up to the world championships in March, tackles a number of elite African stars in tomorrow's Cross Internacional Zornotza in Amorebieta, a five-lap event staged over 10,700 metres.
Farah aim to become the first British male athlete to gain a podium position since former world cross silver medallist Tim Hutchings won the race 17 years ago.
The 23-year-old admits he faces a tough task but does not feel, with his current reputation, he is a specific target to his rivals.
"Pressure is something you place on yourself. I'm sensible enough not to do that. I'll take the ups and downs together and analyse both.
"But I have to be realistic. Racing against non-Europeans is always going to be difficult and beating them always a very tough task.
"However, if I am to do well at the world championships I have to be prepared to race them. It is always something I have done.
"I believe in myself and that means I think I can beat the Africans, although it is going to be a tough race."
In the lead up to his European win last year Fara beat Micah Kogo, who topped the 2006 world 10,000m rankings, and he faces the Kenyan again tomorrow with increased confidence.
"I didn't expect to do that so I was delighted when I managed to beat him and prove something to myself," said Farah, who lives and trains in Teddington.
Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele, with two pre-Christmas victories on Spanish soil, is being tipped as the likely winner, while Uganda's Boniface Kiprop, the Kenyan pair of Joseph Ebuya and Moses Masai and Eritrea's Ali Abdallah will also be strong contenders.
Hayley Yelling will do well to match last year's second place in an equally-competitive women's 6,700m contest.
Yelling goes head-to-head with Australia's former world champion Benita Johnson, aiming to repeat her victory of two years ago, and Kenyan trio Vivian Cheruiyot, Alice Chelangat and Mercy Wanjiku.
Source: Sportinglife, Jan 06, 2007