It is rare for one man to dominate the hugely competitive field of long-distance running, and still less for that man to represent one of the sub-Saharan nations.

Mo Farah has proved the exception: true, he was born in Somalia, but having been schooled and trained in Great Britain, he has broken Africa's stranglehold on the discipline and made himself nigh-on unbeatable over both 5,000m and 10,000m.

An attempt to move up to marathon distance had to be aborted, but this is still a stellar competitor, whose legend would simply be enshrined forever if he goes on to win two more golds in Rio.