MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Mo Farah failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics on Friday and will not defend his 10,000-meter title.
The four-time Olympic champion missed the qualifying time in an invitational 10,000 at the British athletics championships in Manchester.
Farah needed to go under 27 minutes, 28 seconds to earn his place on the plane to Tokyo ahead of Sunday’s deadline but he clocked 27 minutes, 47.04 seconds, and will not defend the 10,000 title he won in 2012 and 2016.
“You go out there and give it all and that’s all you have,” he said. “It’s quite windy. I tried to push and push and I ran my lungs out.
“I’ve had a wonderful career. I’m very grateful. That’s all I had today. 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.”
The invitational race was hastily arranged after Farah failed to qualify during the 10,000 trials in Birmingham this month.
He was the second Brit home in eighth on that occasion, taking 27 minutes, 50.54 seconds, and blamed an ankle problem for hampering his attempt.
It was the first time he had lost a 10,000 race in a decade having decided to return to the track after focusing on the marathon since 2017.
Farah was also a double Olympic champion in the 5,000.
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