No regrets as legend Farah calls time on track racing
ostrava (czech republic) — British distance running legend Mo Farah said on Tuesday he had no regrets about calling time on his glittering track career to focus on road racing.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist will race his last 10,000m on the IAAF circuit at the Golden Spike meet in the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava on Wednesday.
Then comes an outing at the London Diamond League over 3000m, followed by a training camp in southern France to finetune preparations for August 4-13 World Athletics Championships.
It is no exaggeration to say Farah has successfully overcome Kenyan and Ethiopian team tactics to dominate the 5000 and 10,000m.
Since winning silver over 10k at the 2011 world champs in Daegu, the 34-year-old Londoner has enjoyed an unbroken streak of nine global final wins (the 5000m in 2011, and the double at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and the 2013 and 2015 worlds).
“It’s a little bit sad because obviously track is where I made it, where it changed my life in terms of competing at London Olympic Games and winning the double and continuing from there,” Farah said of his decision to step away from the track.
“It’s been an amazing journey for me but I have to move on now, everything must come to an end at some point.
“I’m a little bit sad but at the same time I think I have some unfinished business on the road.”
Farah said he was looking forward to performing in front of home fans in the British capital for the worlds, with the longer aim to return to London from his Oregon training camp.
“It’s better to end it on a high. If London goes as well as I want and everything goes perfect, you won’t see me on the track, you might see me do some crazy events, but in terms of 5000 and 10,000 I’ll call it a day,” Farah said. — AFP