Mo Farah rules out return to track
dubai — Just like Usain Bolt, Mo Farah quit the track after having achieved some unbelievable things.
While the fastest man in history is now busy chasing his football dream, Farah recently won the Chicago Marathon, his first win after shifting to road racing last year.
Now the British legend expects the Jamaican sprint superstar to make a smooth transition to professional football, despite his failure to secure a contract with Central Coast Mariners in Australia.
“I think he (Bolt) has achieved everything there to be achieved on the track and off the track.
“He is a massive Manchester United fan and one day he sees himself playing in the Premier League.
“I think for him as long as he is happy and enjoying himself, I wish him all the best,” Farah, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic champion in 5,000 and 10,000 metres, told the Khaleej Times on Saturday.
“I think anything is possible for him. He is just so good at many different things. He is good at cricket, he is good at football. You know I have been watching him play in Australia and just want to see what happens next.”
Farah then dismissed recent reports that said he wanted to make a track comeback for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“Even I have heard the news that I am coming back to the track,” he laughed. Well, I am definitely not planning to come back to the track. What I actually said was that there is still a part of me that wants to go back to track. That’s what I said. I have the fire in me still when I see the races on TV,” the 35-year-old athlete added.
“I find it hard to watch my former competitors racing without me being there. When I see them, I ask myself: ‘Could I still do it’. I guess it’s a very natural instinct.”
Farah, though, believes that he could still achieve the rare feat of winning an Olympic medal in
marathon after having won gold medals on the track.
“I think a medal at the Olympics is possible. The level I am at
and the time I have given have made me confident. I am definitely capable of going for a medal,” he said. “I won at Chicago in two hours and five minutes. That’s pretty good time. Not too many runners have managed 2 hours and five minutes in recent times. So you never know.”
Coming back to football, his second love, Farah said he was happy how his favourite team — Arsenal — have started the season under new coach Unai Emery.
“I was away in the last three months training for the marathon. But I am looking forward to having a great season,” he said.
“I have been to one home game. I am missing Liverpool today against Arsenal at home.
“I expect a top-four finish. You have got Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, so it’s going to be tough, But I still expect a top-four finish. And, of course, we have to finish above Tottenham,” he smiled.