Olimpiadi Tokyo

Sports fans enjoyed a summer to remember thanks to the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The stars of track and field came out to shine and followers were treated to their fair share of shock results and thrilling races. Team GB caught many off-guard when finishing higher in the medal table than many respected pundits had predicted. The United States also caught the eye when topping the medal table ahead of China and second and Japan in third place.

In what was a gripping four weeks we witnessed many stars who had been billed as the future of their sport flop before the eyes of the watching world. We also saw new stories written by previously unknown athletes exploding onto the stage to show their talents and suggest they are worth keeping an eye on in future Olympic Games.

One man that fits the bill is Selemon Barega the new 10,000m champion. He won the gold medal that was worn by the star of Team GB and long-distance running Mo Farah in 2012 and then again in 2016. Despite the back-to-back success, Farah didn’t appear in Tokyo to defend his title after falling short during the qualifying rounds which blew the pre-race betting markets at the Vegas sportsbooks wide open.

There’s a new champion in town

Many experts of the distance believe we have seen the last of Farah and he’s unlikely to regain the 10,000m prize he worked so hard to earn. Track and field supporters shouldn’t be disheartened though as they have a new idol in 21-year-old Barega of Team Ethiopia. He not only took Farah’s medal and announced his presence to a global audience, but he also did it in style. Despite his young years, Barega ran the race of a champion and there could be no denying we were left with the rightful winner of the final.

The new champion did it in a manner that made 10,000m running cool again, even without the presence of Farah who often attracts huge crowds to the sport. Some distance runs can be seen as boring by casual fans and those watching live final live on television but that’s not a criticism that could have been aimed at this race and that was all down to Barega.

He had been written off before the start and certainly didn’t look like the winner of the race just a few laps from the finish. What the Ethiopian was able to do was remain competitive and focused. He kept himself in the race, well placed to mount a late result. Never during the contest was there even a glimmer of self-doubt. Barega knew what he was in Tokyo to achieve, and that was to win the gold. Such unwavering belief is seen only in the sport’s biggest names but the youngster performed like a man only thinking of taking gold.

Grandstand finish

Heading into the final lap and with the race still there to be won, he made his move. And what a move it was. Barega recorded a final lap time of 53.94, and - for those that don’t know - that’s quite simply a blistering pace for late in the battle. As he powered for the finish line, it became obvious to all watching that Team Ethiopia would win gold.

Trailing in his wake were two pre-race favourites in world record holder Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, who made headlines earlier this year when confirming a world record time of 26.33.93. The majority of bets on the final came for both men, and the traders had them as favourites which came as no surprise, given their talents and recent form. Both Joshua and Jacob would have been keeping a close eye on each other during the laps, seeing the other as their main danger for the gold medal. In doing so, they underestimated Barega, who ran a faultless race before producing a grandstand finish.

It was a disappointing final for Team GB who last out on a chance to add to their impressive medal haul. Sam Atkin pulled out with a calf injury, and Marc Scott finished in fourth place, narrowly missing out on a medal.