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Mo Farah through to World Championship 5,000 metres final in Beijing

Great Britian's Mo Farah (centre) on his way to qualifying for the Men's 5000m final, during day five of the IAAF World Championships at the Beijing Nation
Image: Mo Farah is safely through to the 5,000m final in Beijing

Mo Farah eased into the final of the 5,000m at the World Championships in Beijing despite nearly falling on the closing lap.

Farah, who won the 10,000m title on Saturday after nearly being brought down, finished second in his semi-final but not without a couple of moments that could have derailed him.

He briefly lost his balance with six laps remaining, but the bigger escape came with 150m remaining when he tangled with training partner Galen Rupp and Mohammed Ahmed of Canada.

Farah was forced to break stride but he recovered quickly enough and eventually crossed the line inches behind winner Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia.

Rupp was affected more by the late incident, but the American still made it through to Saturday's final as a fastest loser.

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Mo Farah has qualified for Saturday's 5,000m final at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing despite almost falling on the closing lap

"Nearly went down, that's twice. I hope it doesn't become third time bad luck," said Farah, whose only injury was a small cut on his leg. "I just have to recover now and get ready.

"Somebody just caught my legs. The way I run, I've got long strides. I don't blame anyone. It just happens, that's why I have to be at the front or the back and just stay on the outside."

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Elsewhere on Wednesday morning, Lynsey Sharp looked good in cruising through the heats of the 800m, finishing second to Marina Arzamasova of Belarus in a season's best 1:58.98.

BEIJING, CHINA - AUGUST 26:  Lynsey Sharp of Great Britain (C-L) and Marina Arzamasova of Belarus (C-R) compete in the Women's 800 metres heats
Image: Lynsey Sharp comes home second in her 800m semi-final

She said: "I knew being first heat it would be fast and I just had to cover any moves anyone made. I knew there were a couple of girls who would take it out hard, so I just covered everything and felt good."

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Jenny Meadows joined her in the final, the former finishing third in her heat in 2:01.72 and the latter going through as a fastest loser in 2:00.70.

Lawrence Clarke scraped through as the final qualifier in the 110m hurdles after coming home fifth in his heat in 13.61, but Ireland's Ben Reynolds went out, and Sophie Hitchon qualified for the hammer final in eighth place with 71.07m.

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