Mo Farah to make farewell appearance at Zurich track event
AFP - [email protected]
Published: 28 Jul, 2017 CET.
Updated: Fri 28 Jul 2017 17:39 CET
Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah will delay his impending track retirement by a few days to compete at the Zurich Diamond League final, organizers said on Friday.
The British five-time world champion had originally been due to bow out at home in London after next month's world championships from August 4th-13th.
He then agreed to run the 3,000-metres at the Birmingham Diamond League event on August 20th but Zurich organizers say he will now also compete in Switzerland on August 24th.
"Prior to switching to longer distances and the road, Mo Farah plans to return to Zurich for a farewell appearance," said organizers in a statement.
"Letzigrund Stadium is where he broke the 13-minute barrier in the men's 5,000m as the first British athlete in 2010, and it is where he was crowned double European champion four years later.
"Now, he plans to bid the track farewell in the legendary arena."
The Somali-born 34-year-old, who will turn his attentions to road racing and the marathon once he hangs up his track spikes, will aim for a 5,000m and 10,000m double in London.
But having qualified for the Diamond League final, Farah will end his track career with a 5,000m race in Zurich.
In London, he is aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive double at the worlds in the two longest track distances, having also achieved the feat in the last two Olympics.
Also a five-time European champion, Farah has not been beaten in a major track championship since the world indoor championships in March 2012.
He is one of Britain's greatest ever track athletes and the most successful in terms of gold medals won.
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The British five-time world champion had originally been due to bow out at home in London after next month's world championships from August 4th-13th.
He then agreed to run the 3,000-metres at the Birmingham Diamond League event on August 20th but Zurich organizers say he will now also compete in Switzerland on August 24th.
"Prior to switching to longer distances and the road, Mo Farah plans to return to Zurich for a farewell appearance," said organizers in a statement.
"Letzigrund Stadium is where he broke the 13-minute barrier in the men's 5,000m as the first British athlete in 2010, and it is where he was crowned double European champion four years later.
"Now, he plans to bid the track farewell in the legendary arena."
The Somali-born 34-year-old, who will turn his attentions to road racing and the marathon once he hangs up his track spikes, will aim for a 5,000m and 10,000m double in London.
But having qualified for the Diamond League final, Farah will end his track career with a 5,000m race in Zurich.
In London, he is aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive double at the worlds in the two longest track distances, having also achieved the feat in the last two Olympics.
Also a five-time European champion, Farah has not been beaten in a major track championship since the world indoor championships in March 2012.
He is one of Britain's greatest ever track athletes and the most successful in terms of gold medals won.
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