Lord Coe: Mo Farah is one of the greatest runners
By Nadeem Badshah
Last Updated: 21/08/16 7:41pm
Lord Coe has praised Mo Farah as one of the greatest distance runners of all time after his double gold in Rio.
The Briton added to his gold medals in London 2012 by winning the 10000 metres and the 5000 metres races.
And Lord Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), said Farah's achievements are greater because the current era is more competitive.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "For me the litmus test in any competitor is longevity.
"He's done in historical terms what only a few people has managed to do.
"This is a very different era, it's more competitive than it's ever been. There are 214 countries' flags in our Olympic stadium.
"What Mo has done is frankly off the planet.
"He said to me before the medal ceremony I don't think I would have dared to dream when I first started out that I would have ended up as it did in that stadium.
"His commitment to excellence is probably the exemplar for so much of what has gone right for Team GB."
Team GB are second in the medal table for the Rio Games with 66, including 27 golds.
And they are the first country in history to increase their medal haul after hosting a Games.
Lord Coe, a double Olympic gold winner, added: "It's the way UK Sport has supported the world class programmes and the world class coaching.
"We're pretty much the best in the world at this now. We should never lose that."
