Mo Farah looks certain for a medal — most likely gold — as pre‑race favourite in tomorrow night’s 5,000metres, which would take the tally up to five.
But British Athletics need their relay teams — the sprinters male and female go tonight, the 4x400m relay squads tomorrow — to deliver in order for that target to be met and possibly exceeded with no other realistic individual medals remaining either on the track or in the field.
The men’s quartet face a tough ask to win a medal. Already Jamaica are the favourites over the United States while the British have been drawn in lane one for a second straight race, a quirk of the draw which James Ellington described as “a bit of a conspiracy”.
Their quartet has yet to be finalised for the final with Adam Gemili, in action last night in the 200m, and James Dasaolu likely to be brought in at the expense of two from Richard Kilty, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Ellington and CJ Ujah.
The men have nine options in all for the relay squad but, whatever the quartet selected by sprint coach Stephen Maguire, Kilty said the other runners, himself included would readily accept it.
“We’re not a team any more, we’re a family and we’re going to fight like a family in this final,” he said. “We’re going to deliver our best performance.”
The women’s quartet, spearheaded by the fastest Briton in history, Dina Asher-Smith, look the better bet for a medal after qualifying second behind Jamaica in their heat.
“A final is a completely different ball game,” said the King’s College London student. “We work really hard and we know we are mentally strong so the final shouldn’t be a problem.”
