Farah Pulls Out Of Commonwealth Games With Illness

The British runner is still on target to compete at the European Championships next month.

A week after he was confirmed to participate at the Commonwealth Games, British runner Mo Farah has pulled out of the event with an illness.

Farah, who won the 5000m and 10,000m gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics, cited a recent sickness that sent him to the hospital less than two weeks ago as the reason he could not compete at the Commonwealth Games, which began Wednesday in Glasgow. Farah pulled out of a Diamond League meet in the Scottish city two weekends ago with abdominal pains.

“The sickness I had two weeks ago was a big setback,” Farah said, according to a BBC report. “Training is getting better but I need another few weeks to get back to the level I was at in 2012 and 2013.

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“I really wanted to add the Commonwealth titles to my Olympic and World Championships, but the event is coming a few weeks too soon for me. My body is telling me it’s not ready to race yet.”

Farah was slated to run the 5000m and 10,000m at the event. He is still on pace to compete at the European Championships, scheduled for next month in Zurich, Switzerland.

For More: BBC