'Tonight wasn't good enough': Sir Mo Farah fails to qualify for Tokyo Olympics
Sir Mo Farah has lost in his last-gasp attempt to reach the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and will not defend his 10,000m title. The four-time British champion just missed the qualifying time in a specially-arranged 10,000m at the British Athletics Championships to suffer a devastating blow in the Manchester arena.
“You go out there and give it all and that’s all you have. It’s quite windy. I tried to push and push and I ran my lungs out", the double 5,000m Olympic champion said trackside. “That’s all you can do as a human being, give it your all. I’ve had a wonderful career. I’m very grateful. That’s all I had today".
Dejected Mo Farah admitted he will consider his future after failing to qualify.
“I don’t know what to think or what’s next for me. I just have to have a chat with my team and see what’s next. If I can’t compete with the best, why bother?
“It’s a tough one. I’ve always said if I can’t compete with the best, I’m not going to be in a final. Tonight wasn’t good enough”.
Farah needed to go under 27 minutes 28 seconds at Manchester Regional Arena to book his place on the plane to Tokyo ahead of Sunday night’s deadline.
But he clocked 27 minutes 47 seconds and will not be able to defend the 10,000m title he won in 2012 and 2016.
The invitational race was hastily arranged after Farah failed to qualify during the 10,000m trials in Birmingham earlier this month.
He was the second Brit home in eighth on that occasion, behind Marc Scott in 27 minutes 50.54 seconds, and blamed an ankle problem for hampering his attempt.
It was the first time he had lost a 10,000m race in a decade having decided to return to the track after focusing on the marathon since 2017.