Farah, a 27-year-old Somalian refugee, who had only recently returned from training with Kogo in Kenya, kicked away in the last 200m down The Mall to retain the title he had won last year when he had set the previous record of 27:50.

Farah led home a field of more than 9,000 runners.

The Newham runner said: "I knew I was in great shape coming into today and I was confident.

"My aim was to come out and run hard and if the pace was good just to go with it.

"I love London and I get loads of support and with 200m to go I just went ‘boom’!

"I’m now excited and looking forward to the European 10k next weekend.”

Kogo, who finished second in 27:49, claimed he feel 100 per cent. 

He said: "Today I felt tired and my body just didn’t react when it needed to.

"Mo is a good friend, but when it comes to competition we’re rivals.

"I now have a weeks rest then I’ll race the 5,000m in the Diamond League in Rome.”

Aldershot's Chris Thompson, the United States-based 29-year-old who clocked 27min 29.61sec - the third fastest 10,000m track time by a Briton - in Stanford, California,  earlier this month, continued his good form.

He finished third in 28:27. 

Thompson said ":I’m so happy with how I felt and just so happy to line up with Mo again.

"I’m pleased with how strong I felt - my stride was fluent - but when they took off it was a stretch too far.

"I’d love to have done one less 10k this month and see how I could have done today but overall I felt strong and fresh and it was really great to line up alongside Mo."

Not to be outdone, the women’s race was of outstanding quality at the sharp end.

Kenya’s Mary Keitany (pictured), the world record holder over 25km, raced to victory in an incredible 31:05 a new course record and personal best.

The diminutive Kenyan, whose best 10km time prior to this performance was 31:09 set in San Juan in February this year, has burst to prominence over the last eight months, beginning with victory in the World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham in October 2009 in a new African record of 66:36.

Most recently, in her last race before lining up in the capital this morning, she smashed the world 25km road record with 1:19:53, the first time a woman has ever broken 1:20.

She said: "I’m very happy that I won today, but also that I tried my best and ran a personal best.

"I got away at 3km when I pushed on a bit then I just maintained it.”

Kenyan team-mates Doris Changeywo finished second in 32:15 with Edith Chelimo in third in 34:30.

Pictures @ David Wearn