Mo Farah targets medals over records in Rio Olympics
By Beya Kabelu
Last Updated: 06/06/16 9:54pm
Mo Farah insists he will prioritise winning medals over breaking a world record ahead of this summer's Olympics in Rio.
The double Olympic champion kept his preparations for Rio on track by breaking David Moorcroft's 34-year-old British 3,000m record at the Birmingham Diamond League on Sunday.
The 33-year-old, who claimed a winning time of seven minutes 32.62 seconds, now holds every major national record from the 1500m to the half-marathon - as well as four indoor national records.
Despite winning seven global track titles, his only world best performance is over two miles indoors.
Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, who holds the 5,000m and 10,000m world records respectively, claims Farah needs to take one of his world records to be considered an all-time great.
But the Briton, who has two wins from two races this summer, is happy racking up the medals. Another double in Brazil in August would see him eclipse Bekele's haul of three Olympic and five world titles.
Asked if he had ambitions to attempt a world record, Farah said: "Have you seen them? You have to be realistic.
"It's all one year at a time. This year is all about Rio.
"Next year is my last track year. I will come out in London (at the World Championships at the Olympic Stadium) and then go on to the road. That is my aim. Records are hard."
Another man with his focus firmly on Rio is Adam Gemili, who was upbeat despite finishing in sixth place in the 100m with a time of 10.29 seconds.
The 22-year-old, one of Great Britain's leading sprint hopes, was appearing in only his second outdoor meeting since tearing a hamstring while breaking the 10-second barrier for the first time in Birmingham 12 months ago.
Sunday's performance fell short of the 9.97 the Alexander Stadium crowd witnessed from the former footballer last June, but Gemili said he had learned from that experience.
"It's not the Olympic final or anything so I don't want to push myself too hard, which is what I did last year and it ended up putting me out for the season," he said.
"My body is in a great place. These meets are great, but they are not the be-all and end-all. The be-all and end-all is Rio, so that's what I'm working towards and hopefully I can go out there and deliver."
