MAY 5 - THE build-up to the Beijing Olympics is in full-swing now and insidethegames in its weekly column keeps you fully updated on everything that is happening, beginning with an encouraging performance from Mo Farah (pictured)

 

Farah steps up to 10,000m and gives a hint of his future

 

MO FARAH produced the fastest 10,000 metres performance by a British athlete for eigtht years when finishing fifth in the Stanford Cardinal Invitation meeting yesterday.

 

Farah making his debut over the distance, clocked an encouraging 27min 44.54sec, a time which was last bettered when Karl Keska ran 27:44.09 for eighth place in the 2000 Olympic Games final.

 

The European 5000m silver medallist's display at the Californian venue was also the first occasion a Briton had broken the 28 minutes barrier for five years since Keska was ninth at the World Championships in Paris with a mark of 27:47.89.

 

Farah, who prepared for the race in the United States after finishing second in the Carlsbad 5000m road race a month ago, has already announced he will concentrate on the shorter distance at this summer' Beijing Olympics.

 

Australia's Craig Mottram, whose father was a former goalkeeper for Wimbledon, claimed victory in 27:34.48 ahead of Guenther Weidlinger, who set an Austrian record of 27:36.46 and Josphat Boit of Kenya who recorded 27:36.46.

 

Andrew Lemoncello, who is based in the United States and topped the UK rankings in 2006 and 2007, failed to finish.

 

Kate Reed,  also debuting over 10,000m, was ninth in a time of 31:31.87 making her the fifth fastest-ever Btritish woman at the 25-laps distance.

 

Shalane Flanagan with a superb USA record of 30:34.49 won ahead of Kim Smith whose mark of 30:35.54 broke the New Zealnd record she set in last year's meeting.

 

Taunton fencer receives cash boost for 2012

 

A TAUNTON fencer hoping to take part in the 2012 London Olympic Games has received a £1,000 boost.

 

Nat Lewis, 17, who attends Richard Huish College, in Taunton, won the grant from Somerset County Council's 500 Club'.

 

The cash will help towards equipment and travel costs for the under-18 British champion.

 

The 500 Club', spearheaded by Council chairman Alan Gloak, aims to raise £1 million to help Somerset reap lasting benefits from the Games.

 

Lewis, who has been fencing since he was nine, represented Britain in the World and European Championships last year and is a member of Taunton Deane Blades.

 

He said: "I've always been interested in fencing and loved the sword fights in films when I was young.

 

"I saw the Zorro films and thought, That's for me'. Now it's become something that is part of my life, I do it and can't imagine living without it."

 

Praise for Daley from biggest rival

LEON TAYLOR could have done himself out of a place in the Beijing Olympics if 13-year-old Thomas Daley beats him to the last spot in Britain's diving team.
 
Taylor, who won an Olympic silver medal in Athens, has been mentoring Daley and seen him develop into his biggest rival.

He said: "He is absolutely phenomenal and a joy to work with.
 
"Tom is an incredible talent.

"I don't need to sing his praises because his results speak for themselves.

"He has been competing on the men's stage for a few years now and there is no question that he is a young phenomenon."

Taylor has been working closely with Daley since the Plymouth diver was 10.
 
He said: "It's funny because they said there was a young guy who wanted to meet me because I was one of his heroes.
 
"I met him after Athens and took him my Olympic medal and he was a fantastic guy.

"He has a fantastic team around him now and I act as the webbing.
 
Our relationship is more like friends or a big brother.
 
"If he has any concerns he can come to me.
 
"He definitely has his feet on the ground - I wouldn't be working with him if he didn't.

"He takes everything in his stride and deals with the attention really well.

"He is mentally very strong - I suppose ignorance is bliss.
 
"For London in 2012 he is definitely going to be a medal chance because he will already have the experience of one Games behind him.

"And I am not going to go on record and say he is not a medal chance in Beijing because anything can happen in diving - but it is a massive ask.
 
"There has never been the Daley v Taylor head to head but I will have to dive against him in the synchronised qualifying.
 
"That will be interesting because whichever pair gets through will have a real medal chance and this is my last crack of the whip.

"When it comes down to it I have trained six hours a day, six days a week for four years so I will be giving it everything.

"It all comes down to just 1.5 seconds per dive.

"And I am still pushing for that gold medal - you just never know."  
 
Gordon hoping for Beijing gold
 
WINSTON GORDON is hoping to put an Olympic-year injury scare behind him to win gold in Beijing this summer.
 
The 31-year-old judo player earned a bronze medal at the Prague World Cup in March.
 
He chipped a bone in his hand mid-way through qualfying for the British team earlier this year, but believes he is in good enough shape to be a match for anyone on his day.
 
He said "I'm not putting a prediction on it, but hopefully I can go at least one better this time around.
 
"I didn't know I'd chipped a bone until halfway through the qualification process.
 
"It was a concern, but I just got on with things and I'm relieved to have put it behind me.
 
"As long as I am 100 per cent prepared for the tournament, it really could be anyone's gold medal on the day."
 
Gordon will be 35-years-old by the time the Games come to London in 2012, but he hasn't ruled out a third Olympic appearance on home turf.
 
He said: "There is still life left in me to carry on until 2012, but it depends on who is around at the time as to whether I'm around or not.
 
"I think I can carry on, but will just take each step at a time and first see how Beijing goes."