LONDON: Britain’s Olympic champions Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis were named athletes of year by the British Athletics Writers’ Association yesterday.
Farah did the distance double, winning the 10,000 and 5,000 men’s metres titles at London 2012 while Ennis won the women’s heptathlon gold for the host nation. Farah won the first of his gold medals on the same night Ennis clinched the heptathlon title and long-jumper Greg Rutherford, who was runner-up to Farah in the men’s category, also won gold. Christine Ohuruogu was runner-up to Ennis in the vote after winning a silver medal over 400 at the London Games.
Meanwhile, Alberto Salazar caoch of Farah said the Olympic double winner could attempt a 10,000 metres-marathon double at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Farah thrilled a home crowd at the London Games in August when he became only the seventh man to complete the 5,000-10,000 metres Olympic double.
Salazar told BBC Sport that Farah, who will be 33 in four years’ time, could have lost a “little speed” over the 5,000 by then.
“My guess is he will do a 10-marathon double. At Rio, that would be a good shot. We will have a look at the schedule but if the 10 is first, he would go 10,000 and marathon,” Salazar said
Farah will attempt to replicate his Olympic double at next year’s world championships in Moscow and could then make his marathon debut in the 2014 London race. AGENCIES
