The defending champion will go for a second gold in Rio after qualifying for the 5000m final

Mo Farah qualified for the 5000m final on Wednesday but not without a scare after he tripped toward the end of his heat.

The Briton had fallen four days earlier in the 10,000m before getting up to win gold and here he recovered from a stumble after colliding with Hassan Mead of the United States to qualify from his heat in 13:25.25.

“I’ve got such a long stride, I find it hard, you know – I always get tripped up or tangled up with someone but I managed to stay on my feet,” said the defending champion. “It was quite nerve-racking again. Emotionally you go through a lot and it’s a wake up now – the job ain’t done yet. I still have to now recover, just lock myself in a room and just get ready for this race.”

The 33-year-old claimed his eighth global track gold in taking the 10,000m title and said he still felt the effects from his exertions of four days before.

“I was a little bit tired today, he said. “It’s just because of the heat and having run 10km, but just mentally getting back in that zone.

“You’ve got to get through the rounds, no one is going to give it to you to get to the final,” he added. Now I’ve got to ice bath, recover, see the medical team and get back in the zone.”

After winning medals in this event at six of the past seven Olympics, there will be no Kenyans in Saturday’s final as Isiah Koech, Caleb Ndiku and Charles Mneria all failed to progress.

Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia and USA’s Paul Chelimo were among those to make it through, while Bernard Lagat also advanced to the final at the age of 41. At the other end of the scale, 15-year-old Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo placed 11th in his heat so his competition came to an end.

Farah’s fellow Briton Andy Butchart qualified when he finished fifth in heat two in 13:20.08. Their GB team-mate Tom Farrell was not at his best and finished 20th in the same heat in 14:11.65.