Only something “amazing” can stop Mo Farah starting the World Championships with a gold medal today, according to UK Athletics chief Neil Black.
The 30-year-old is the star of the Great Britain squad just a year on from taking the 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at London 2012.
Farah is odds-on to match his Olympic successes at the Luzhniki, where his campaign gets under way on the opening day of the championships.
Today will be his first 10,000m race on the track since last year’s Olympic final and gives him a chance to make amends for two years ago.
Ethiopia’s Ibrahim Jeilan’s late burst denied him gold in Daegu, but UK Athletics performance director Black does not see any such challenges for Farah.
“His expectation is higher than anyone else’s,” he said.
“He will, without doubt, expect to win. It will take an amazing performance for that not to happen so we will find out tomorrow (today) what happens.
“He is a confident guy and looking forward to it. Bring it on, as far as he is concerned. He just wants to get on and enjoy it.”
Farah finalised his preparations for the championships with high altitude training in St Moritz, Switzerland – a far cry from the life he has enjoyed since London 2012.
Former 1,500m champion Steve Cram believes Farah intimidates his rivals and Black agrees.
“Because he is so relaxed and so confident it probably does in a way that is different to some others,” he said.
“Some will try to intimidate others by making themselves bigger or appearing to be almost overtly confident.
“I think Mo in his almost casualness is probably doing a similar thing, saying ‘if you guys think I’m that bothered, let’s see what happens on the track’.”
Farah himself feels a different athlete to the one that rocked up in Daegu two years ago.
“I am definitely a different athlete in terms of what I’ve done, in terms of confidence,” he said.
“Daegu was the start and to come back in 2012 and win that and now 2013, I’ve been sort of mixing and matching a little bit. I started off with the half marathon and then coming through 5k, 10k.
“I am just that bit stronger, I’ve been injury free, that’s the most important thing.”
The only other medal decided today will be the women’s marathon.
Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat is bidding to become the first woman to land back-to-back world marathon titles, although she faces tough competition from Olympic gold medallist Tiki Gelana, of Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, Usain Bolt, the world 100- and 200-metre record holder, will start his bid to regain his world 100m title – which he lost to compatriot Yohan Blake in Daegu after false-starting in the 2011 final – in today’s heats.
If there are no hiccups, the popular Jamaican will line up in tomorrow’s final as hot favourite for gold.