Mo Farah revels in his historic victory at the World Championships

Mo Farah revelled in becoming a history maker as he completed a hat-trick of long-distance doubles at global championships by retaining his world 5,000 metres title in Beijing.

The 32-year-old followed up his 10,000 metres triumph by storming to gold over the shorter distance to rack up his seventh straight global crown - an unprecedented period of domination.

The slow early pace, set by Farah's team-mate Tom Farrell at the front early on, played into his hands and he took advantage, unleashing his devastating kick past Kenya's Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku in the final 150m to cross the line a comfortable winner in 13 minutes 50.38 seconds.

It was Great Britain's fifth medal of the championships - and fourth gold.

"It's incredible to make history and win so many medals for my country," said Farah, who joked he might "need to get a bigger house" to keep his expanding collection.

The Kenyans had worked as a team in the 10,000m to try to neutralise Farah's finishing speed and, although it did not work, it was expected his rivals would try something similar again. Instead the early pace was slow.

Ndiku did at least try to pose a problem for the Briton, moving up a gear in a long bid for home with 800m remaining and finally stretching out the field.

But Farah is the master at fast finishing and he went with the Kenyan before bursting past him as they headed into the home straight for the final time.

Ndiku had no answer and had to dig in to hold on for silver in 13mins 51.75secs, while Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet took bronze. Farrell ended up 15th.

Farah, who revealed he has been suffering from a sore hamstring, said he never felt in danger.

"I could see he (Ndiku) was going hard rather than smooth, so I was looking at him thinking, 'this guy is a bit too hard here'. Coming into the straight I thought I had him." he said.

Farah wore a crown as he celebrated on his lap of honour and with good reason: this win heralded a historic achievement.

Before Saturday no man - not even Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele - had won the long-distance double at more than one World Championships.

Farah has not only managed it twice, but done so on the back of his twin Olympic triumph in 2012. Not since the 10,000m at the 2011 Worlds in Daegu, when he took silver, has he tasted defeat in a major outdoor final.

The Londoner experienced the lowest moment of his career at the Bird's Nest stadium seven years ago when he failed to make the final of the Olympics.

His emotions on Saturday could not have been in greater contrast.

He said: "Seven years ago I remember Bekele winning everything. And I remember thinking with all those medals he has if he only gave me one. The change in seven years is incredible.

"That seven years hasn't been easy, it's been continual and year by year trying to build. If you'd have said to me seven years ago you'd have one medal I would have said OK, but to win as many medals as I have is just incredible."

Farah's pregnant wife Tania and young family were not in Beijing, but back at his home in Portland, Oregon, and he paid tribute to them.

This season has certainly been one of Farah's toughest.

Caught up in doping allegations surrounding his coach Alberto Salazar, who has denied them, and, although accused of no wrongdoing himself, questioned by the United States Anti-Doping Agency as part of its investigation into the claims, Farah has been forced to endure a tumultuous time off the track.

"This is probably as close to the Olympics as it can be," said Farah, who described as "amazing" the possibility of being honoured with a knighthood..

"I had a tough year this year. To put everything behind me and continue what I'm doing, just be myself, focus on myself and on my running, it hasn't been easy. But at the same time it's made it enjoyable. With success comes a lot of obstacles."

On the track, though, nothing has changed. His rivals have still not come up with a way to stop him winning. And his status as an all-time great is secure.

Earlier in the evening, Britain's Shelayna Oskan-Clarke produced her second sub-two minute run in two races, but it was not enough to yield a medal in the 800m as she came home fifth in 1:58.99, Marina Arzamasova taking gold for Belarus in 1:58.03.