Farah To Skip Commonwealth Games

Great Britain’s sub-13:00 5,000-meter man decides to end to his successful season.

Written by: David Monti
(c) 2010 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Briton Mo Farah, who won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter titles at this summer’s European Championships, has decided to end his season, skipping next month’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

“I had a great 2010 season and my body is telling me that it is time to take a break from training and racing,” Farah explained through a statement circulated to the media by his management company, PACE Sports Management.  “I have been competing since the start of the year at cross-country, road and track and feel that I need a few weeks off now to let my body recover so that I can start winter training fit and healthy.”

In addition to Farah’s dramatic double-gold performance in Barcelona, the first by a European man in 20 years, he also broke David Moorcroft’s 28 year-old British record for 5,000 meters, becoming the first British man to break 13 minutes. Farah also won the European Cup 10,000-meter title and set a national record for 10K on the road, clocking 27:43.

“I look forward to the 2011 IAAF World T&F Championships in Daegu and the 2012 Olympic Games in my home city of London,” Farah added.  “I came close to getting a medal in the past two World T&F Championships and hope that I can continue to improve over the next few years.”