Farah does homework and looks to crowd to play part

Farah agonisingly missed out on 10,000m gold at the World Championships in Daegu last year, when an athlete he knew nothing about – Ethiopia’s Ibrahim Jeilan – outsprinted him in the final few metres to win by 0.26 seconds.

Despite later claiming victory in the 5,000m in Korea, Farah is determined to do his homework to ensure history does not repeat itself in London, where he is looking to become Britain’s first Olympic champion in a long-distance event.

“I won’t be surprised,” the Somalia-born 29-year-old said. “Last year it was because I had never heard of Jeilan. I was thinking about (Imane) Merga and the rest of the guys.

“In that race I was beaten by the better man on the day. He did everything right, I did 99 per cent right, but it was that one per cent where you didn’t think about that guy and that was the difference.

“We have to do our homework and everything that we can. A lot of stuff happens in long-distance races. In the 100m, where someone’s the favourite it’s Usain Bolt and there is no one else, it’s such a short distance. When he gets it right that’s it.

“But in long distance a lot of stuff can happen and there is always someone new who we’ve never heard of. We definitely will do our research.

“I’ve learned a lot over the year, winning races gives you good confidence. I know my opposition will watch me and use the strongest tactics they can to beat me; that probably means go out hard in the middle or do something that can throw me off my game.”

Championship races are usually more tactical than those run on the Diamond League circuit, where pacemakers set a metronomic tempo which builds until a sprint finish in the last 400m.

But Farah believes he is now so quick over the final lap that his rivals – including reigning Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele – will have to try something different to deny him victory.

Asked whether he can go even quicker than his customary 53-second last lap, Farah said: “It depends on what the crowd can do. It depends on how loud they are, that adrenalin. It makes a big difference.

“When that cheering is getting louder you want to do well and it gives that bit more energy, but I don’t think it will come down to the last lap.”