London 10,000 2022: 'That's it, I think' – Four-time Olympic gold medal winner Mo Farah hints at track retirement
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 02/05/2022 at 16:44 GMT
As he approaches 40 it is perhaps no surprise that Mo Farah's performances have started to decline, but it was nevertheless a surprise to see the Olympian struggle at the London 10,000 on Monday. Beaten by a club runner, he announced after his race that he may be bringing his track career to a close.
Mo Farah
Image credit: Getty Images
Olympic and world champion Mo Farah has suggested that he could retire from track events after struggling at the London 10,000.
Farah raced on Monday Bank Holiday but finished a minute slower than his best time at the event - which he recorded in 2012 - coming in at 28:40. That was also four seconds behind Ellis Cross, a 26-year-old club runner.
The event was the first race that the 39-year-old had taken part in since June 2021, when he failed to qualify for that year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. At the 2012 and 2016 Olympics he competed in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres events, winning them both.
"In terms of the track, that's it, I think," Farah said after his effort. "Your body has to be ready. You have to be in the right frame of mind and compete with the guys. I love the sport and what I do, I've had a long career.
"The reality is that it has been so, so long. In my career, I've never been out that long before... Today was tough and Ellis did well to beat me.”
Farah went on to say that he would not compete in the World Championships at Eugene in the United States in July, but did not rule out the Commonwealth Games or European Championships, scheduled for August.
"Right now, no. In three, months, two months... We've still got time," he explained. "There's no secret to this, you've got to put in the miles, you've got to put in the work. If my body allows me to continue to do it then maybe.
"The World Championships are not on my radar at the minute... Because I've been there and done it, unless I can compete with the guys and be competitive, you've got to be honest and make that decision."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement