Andy Butchart bidding for British double as he joins Mo Farah in 5,000m final at London 2017

Medal bid: Andy Butchart
PA

While Andy Butchart knows he will very much be in the shadow of Mo Farah in Saturday’s 5,000metres final, the man with the golden moustache still has his sights on silverware.

Butchart had to leapfrog over a stricken Paul Chelimo, of the United States, to avoid falling in his heat to book his place in the final alongside the double-gold-chasing Farah, with whom he has trained in the build‑up to London 2017.

“If we work together, who knows what will happen,” said Butchart of his team-mate.

Whether Farah, so often a lone wolf at major championships against the conveyor belt of East African talent, joins forces with his compatriot is another matter.

However, the less well known of Britain’s 5,000m finalists said: “I’ll try to get a medal and none of these fourth places like the rest of the guys,” a reference to the near misses of Laura Muir, Kyle Langford and, last night, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, narrowly edged out of the medals in the 1,500m, 800m and 200m respectively.

Butchart produced the race of his life and a personal best to finish sixth in the Olympic final but a year on has greater ambitions in front of his home crowd. “The pressure is all from me now,” he said ahead of the final. “Last year was a great year but consistency is key. Now I’m hitting the finals regularly, the pressure will get worse but who knows what’s going to happen?

“It’s Mo’s last ever World Championships so the spotlight is going to be on him but I could potentially get a medal there. And nobody is invincible, and it’s easier for me because I’m the underdog out there.”

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