Four-time Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah has once again hinted at a possible return to the track for Tokyo 2020 despite his retirement in 2017.
The former 5000 and 10,000m runner won silver and gold at the IAAF World Championships in 2017 before competing in his last track race at the Weltklasse Zürich meet during the Diamond League.
But while he has since shifted his focus to road racing, competing in the London Marathon this Sunday, the 36-year-old has re-opened the possibility of a return to the track, depending on his fitness.
“It would be nice to have another (medal),” he told the BBC “I have no regrets with what I have done but I don’t want to look back one day and think, ‘that year, I was fit, perhaps I should have gone to the Olympics, maybe I could have won a medal’.
“If everything goes well for me, why not?”
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Farah’s time on the track saw him clinch four successive Olympic gold medals, along with six golds and two silvers at the world championships.
While his shift to the marathon has so far gone well, winning the Chicago Marathon on 7th October with a European record time of 2:05:11 hours, the London Marathon competitor admits he has “missed” competing on the track.
More specifically, the lower frequency of races at marathon level compared to track has been slightly challenging to get used to.
“You always start a 1500m at the start of the season,” said Farah, “then a 10k, a 5k, a 3k, and I have missed all of that,”
“In the marathon, you can’t afford to do all that and a lot of it is kind of done in training.”
But despite all this, the marathon remains Farah’s primary focus, with the six-time world champion keeping his eye on the British Athletics world championship selection discussions which take place early next week.
“My name will be discussed (by British Athletics).” said Farah, “I think I have hinted enough. If I am good and capable of getting a medal why not? It suits me and I’m in good shape.”
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The Briton has been fuelled by his Chicago Marathon performance, as well as a potential clash with Olympic marathon champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, who is also bidding for a record fourth successive victory at the London Marathon on Sunday.
Toppling Kipchoge will be a herculean task for any runner, not least Mo Farah, but the five-time Great North Run winner is looking forward to the challenge and a possible rivalry with the dominant Kenyan star.
“The way he runs, you can still learn from him.” said Farah “But when I line up and think can I beat him? I can’t be afraid and have to think ‘yes I can’.
“If I do beat him it would be an amazing achievement.
“My aim is to win the London Marathon one day. Sometimes you are beaten by a better man and you have to accept that.
“The rivalry is great for the sport – it’s one the sport needs.”
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