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Mo Farah misses out on Olympics after falling short of 10,000m qualifying time

Defending Olympic champion over 19 seconds outside qualification time in Manchester

Britain’s Mo Farah reacts as he crosses the finish line, failing to achieve an Olympic qualifying time in the men’s 10,000m final during day one of the British Athletics Championships at Manchester Regional Arena. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Fri Jun 25 2021 - 22:44

Mo Farah will not defend his 10,000m Olympic title after failing to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

The four-time Olympic champion missed the qualifying time in an invitational 10,000m at the British Athletics Championships to suffer a devastating blow in Manchester.

Farah needed to go under 27 minutes 28 seconds at the Regional Arena to earn his place on the plane to Tokyo ahead of Sunday night’s deadline.

But he clocked 27:47.04 and will not defend the 10,000m title he won in 2012 and 2016.

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Farah, a double 5,000m Olympic champion, said trackside: “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.

“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.

“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 10,000m trials in Birmingham earlier this month.

He was the second Brit home in eighth on that occasion, behind Marc Scott in 27: 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.

Farah MoMarc Scott