Mo Says Maybe To Great North Run

15 AUG2011

Mo Farah, Britain's highest profile athlete and a real Olympic medal prospect for 2012, is in line to take the field for next month's Great North Run. Farah is the current European champion at 5,000m and 10,000m and is also the world's leading runner at the distances this year.

28 year old Farah who is now based in Portland, Oregon, and coached by former marathon legend Alberto Salazar will make his decision following the IAAF World Championships which take place in Daegu, South Korea on August 27, where he will chase the 10,000m gold medal and possibly later in the programme over 5,000m, if sufficiently recovered from the longer race.

Farah is remaining flexible about taking part over two miles in the Bupa Great North CityGames, a street athletics match between Great Britain and the United States on September 17 or the following day's Bupa Great North Run.

"We're delighted that Mo has signed up for the Bupa Great North Run weekend, he has always been a great supporter of all our events." said David Newton, managing director of organisers Nova International. It will be his first appearance on British soil after Daegu and whatever event he takes part in, I know he'll get a huge welcome from the fans of which he has plenty of here in the North East."

Should Farah prefer to compete in the Bupa Great North Run - the world's biggest half marathon race - he will face an elite field including a testing head-to-head clash with reigning Virgin London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya.

His appearance would also offer the opportunity to become not only the first British champion since Steve Kenyon's win in 1985 but also the chance to attain his own UK fastest time for the distance of 60:23, which he achieved at the New York half marathon in March this year.

It also raises the intriguing possibility Farah could be the first ever Briton to clock under 60 minutes for the distance if the weather conditions in the Newcastle to South Shields race are favourable.

For more information about the Bupa Great North Run and the other Bupa Great Runs please visit the series website.