• Briton fails to add to 10,000m success in final major run on the track • Farah, winner of four world and Olympic doubles, beaten by Muktar Edris

Block by block the crowd inside the London Stadium rose like an advancing Mexican wave as Mo Farah sprinted past in pursuit of the Ethiopian duo ahead. So often they have seen him win from this position but after 10 straight global titles and four double golds, finally, he could not find a way.

Body heaving with adrenaline and emotion, he curled into the foetal position at the finish, beaten in a major final for the first time in six years. Silver on this occasion stung like defeat and salt was rubbed into open wounds by his conqueror, Muktar Edris of Ethiopia, performing the iconic Mobot at the finish.

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This 5,000m was billed as the 34-year-old’s perfect farewell. Those wearing “Go Mo!” face paint and waving “Run, Farah, Run!” banners were expecting one last gold on the track before he moves to the road next year. But his rivals set the tone even before the race began. Paul Chelimo of the USA, who pushed Farah all the way at the Rio Olympics, also did the Mobot and a throat-slitting gesture when the camera panned to him at the start. “It is what it is, I just meant that I was going to take Mo down,” said Chelimo.

They seemed empty threats as the race unfolded at a sluggish pace, apparently playing into the hands of Farah, who usually relishes a sprint finish. The 17-year-old Ethiopian Selemon Barega, an unknown quantity, briefly went to the front but soon fell back. The Australian Patrick Tiernan also stretched his legs at the head of the pack but was unable to continue the assault.

As the bell rang, the real contenders stood up. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha accelerated to the front with Edris on his shoulder and Farah straining every sinew to stay with them. It took a 52-second final lap to overcome the Briton, as it had for Ibrahim Jeilan to beat Farah over 10,000m at the world championships in Daegu in 2011, his most recent major defeat before Saturday night.

“The better man won on the day but I gave it my all,” said Farah, “I didn’t have anything left at the end.”

Down the home straight it seemed likely Farah would miss out on the medals altogether as he found himself in rarely charted territory, boxed in on the inside lane. But he picked off a tiring Kejelcha and eventual bronze medallist Chelimo in the dying metres to take silver in 13:33.22, with Edris winning the title in 13:32.79.

“You have to give credit to Edris,” said Farah. “They had a game plan and it was three against one. They had to sacrifice one of them and it was Kejelcha, who didn’t get a medal. Edris sat at the back, and did as little work as possible to then hit me on the last lap. As an athlete when you get in the race, you want to cover every move but I spent quite a lot of energy making sure I was in the right place.”

Disappointment etched on his face, Farah completed a farewell lap draped in the Union flag. There were kisses for his young family in the crowd including twins Aisha and Amani, weeks away from their fifth birthday. Farah has not lost a major championship race since they were born. “I’ve made a lot of sacrifices in terms of time away from my family,” said Farah, “It’s been a long journey but it’s been incredible, I need to have a couple of moments to myself to appreciate it.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Glory for Muktar Edris. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Farah ran with three stitches in his leg, a reminder of a spike from another runner’s shoe puncturing his skin during his victorious 10,000m a week ago. He did not display any obvious ill effects but admitted he was drained. “To be honest the 10,000m, it takes so much out of me, more out of me than I realised,” he said, cradling toddler son Hassan.

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For all the disappointment, this was still an eighth world medal to go with his four Olympic golds at home in Oregon. It remains to be seen how long Farah will keep his base in America, with his next major target presumed to be the London marathon. “There’s no place like home and I’ve really enjoyed this journey,” he said. “I’ve got a few more races planned but in terms of track this chapter is closed.”

Farah remains the only individual British medallist at this Championships so far.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson narrowly missed out on a high jump medal with a best clearance of 1.95m seeing her finish fifth. Had she cleared that height during the heptathlon last week she would have won gold.

“I won’t give up on the heptathlon,” she said. “I know I will eventually get there one day. Unfortunately these championships weren’t meant to be but there is always next year.”

Morgan Lake, who will soon decide on whether her future is as a multi-eventer or a specialist high jumper, finished sixth after clearing 1.95m with her second attempt. The 20-year-old said: “Last year I was just absolutely ecstatic to make the final in Rio and this year I came sixth, so I think that just shows how much I’ve moved and in an environment where I’ll hopefully be challenging for medals in years to come.”