“I Don’t Want to End It Like This”- UK Long Distance Runner Mo Farrah Refuses to Retire After Failing to Qualify for Tokyo Olympics 2020

Mo Farrah suffered a horrific setback three weeks ago when he failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, falling short of the qualifying time in the 10,000m race by 19 seconds. A 4-time Olympic gold medallist, Farrah aimed at making Tokyo his farewell but sadly saw this dream crushed. 

Amidst him considering his retirement and a permanent withdrawal from track life, the Briton revealed he had made up his mind. Contrary to popular belief, Mo Farrah will not hang up his running shoes yet and has just enough fuel in the tank to get him through one more race. 

“I’m gutted, but this is athletics, it happens,” he said, speaking to  Victoria Derbyshire of BBC. “That’s just life. You know what goes up must come down at some point.”

Mo Farrah also suffered a fracture on his left foot

Mo Farrah was the unparalleled long-distance runner in his prime. He managed to win both, the 5000m and 10,000m events at the Olympics twice, becoming a double-gold medallist in London 2012 and Rio 2016. 

As if the setback wasn’t enough, Farrah also suffered a fracture on his left foot. The foot, now in a cast, has left him with time to consider his future, and the former Olympian has decided he’s not quite done yet.

“I don’t want to end it like this,” he said. “I want to continue to keep pushing and feel like when I want to finish, then I’ll finish.”Right now, at the minute, it’s like nah.”

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Farrah wants his final race to be a marathon or half marathon

While he does not have any immediate plans for Paris 2024, he has revealed that he wants the final race to be a marathon or half marathon. He insists that the fans have to see him on that race and give them one final hurrah. 

“I want to celebrate at the end with my fans and want to show people who have been supportive throughout my career from a young child,” he said. “If I do one race I’ll get everyone out and show the appreciation and see what I can do.”

Mo Farrah will not be able to defend his Olympic gold in Tokyo but he will surely be focused on the road to recovery. Not making the time, a fracture, and many probably telling him he can’t do it- it will be one step at a time for the runner.