Great Britain’s most successful track athlete hangs up spikes after career spanning three decades
Mo Farah compared his last ever professional race to the support he received around London 2012, as the four-time Olympic and six-time champion bowed out at the Great North Run.
A six-time winner of the Great North Run, it wasn’t surprising to see Farah end his competitive career on the roads of South Shields.
The 40-year-old announced in April that he was retiring and that the race in the North-East would be his last hurrah.
Since that decision, Farah ran 2:10:28 to finish ninth at the London Marathon, clocked 62:43 for fourth at the Big Half and was in that same position over the half-marathon again, at the Great North Run.
His time was 63:28 and broke down to 4:51 min/mile. Some going for a guy who is 40.
For the final time in his professional career, Mo Farah crosses the finish line
The quadruple Olympic and six-time champion bows out at the Great North Run by finishing fourth in 63:28
That’s 4:51 min/mile pace at 40
#GreatNorthRun
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) September 10, 2023
“Honestly, this is it, I’m talking to you as a retired man,” Farah said, after receiving applause from both the packed out crowd and his fellow athletes. “It was very emotional and the last couple of days I was trying to sync it all in. I slept on it last night and didn’t get much sleep. It reminded me a bit like 2012 with the people and it’s been a joy.
“I think this is the right time [to retire]. I’ve found it tough over the past couple of years with my body and not being able to do what I did. To be the best you’ve got to commit and run 100 miles a week and over the past couple of years I’ve struggled to do that.
“It’s really important to me to be honest and that if I’m not able to be competitive and win medals for my country then you’ve got to retire.
“I’ve achieved so much on the track and in both the half-marathon and marathon so I’ve got nothing more to prove.”
Mo Farah at London 2012 (Mark Shearman)
Farah’s first ever taste of racing on the roads in the UK came as a 12-year-old back in 1995 when he finished 10th at the Mini London Marathon, completing the 4km circuit in 16:00.
He has won four Olympic gold medals, claimed six world titles and become European champion on five occasions.
Statistically, no male track distance runner has more major global titles to their name and Farah is also the most…
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