Mo Farah halts marathon career and returns to track to defend Olympic 10,000m title

Mo Farah has halted his failed mission to conquer the marathon and announced a return to the track to defend his Olympic 10,000-metre title at next year’s Olympics.

Farah won double gold over 5,000m and 10,000m at London 2012 and Rio 2016, before quitting the track to concentrate on marathon running in 2017.

He achieved some success, breaking the European record in winning last year’s Chicago marathon, but could only finish fifth in London in April and eighth on his return to Chicago last month.

With his chances of beating dominant marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge at next year’s Tokyo Olympics highly unlikely, Farah has decided instead to attempt a 10,000m hat-trick.

He will be 37 by the time he competes in Japan, making him the oldest athlete ever to compete in an Olympic men’s 10,000m final.

“It’s been really exciting to compete in the marathon for the last couple of years,” said Farah. “To win Chicago - which is a major marathon - was nice. To finish third in the London Marathon [in 2018] was ok. It’s been a great learning curve for me.

“Next year I’ve decided for Tokyo 2020 I’m going to be back on the track and give it a go in the 10,000m. Hopefully I haven’t lost my speed but I’ll train hard for it and see what I can do. It’s exciting.”

Farah has repeatedly flirted with a track return over the past year, during which he has been unable to match the dominance of his earlier career.

His hopes of winning a medal in Tokyo appear far greater over 10,000m. His main challenge for gold is likely to come from Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who upgraded the silver he won behind Farah at the 2017 World Championships to claim gold in Doha last month. Cheptegei also won the world cross-country title and Diamond League 5,000m crown this year.

“I decided after Chicago, not straight away, but it was on my mind,” Farah told Virgin’s Chris Evans.

“I was watching the World Championship in Doha. I watch the 10,000m, and watch other races, and part of you gets excited.

“You’re seeing people winning medals, for your country and stuff, and you ask yourself. It almost felt like I needed to be there.”

The news of Farah’s track return came a day after UK Athletics launched an independent review of its botched decision to allow Farah to continue working with his former coach Alberto Salazar, who has subsequently been kicked out of the sport for suspected doping offences.

An investigation conducted by the governing body found “no reason to be concerned” about Farah’s then coach and cleared the runner to remain at the Nike Oregon Project after allegations first surfaced questioning Salazar’s practices in June 2015.

Salazar was handed a four-year ban for various doping offences last month. He denies any wrongdoing and has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Farah or any other Nike Oregon Project athlete.