Athletics: Farah's focus set to switch to marathon

Mo Farah of Great Britain celebrates winning the mens 3000 metres event during the London Anniversary Games International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League International Athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium in Londo
Mo Farah of Great Britain celebrates winning the mens 3000 metres event during the London Anniversary Games International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League International Athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 27, 2013. Britain's Mo Farah indicated on Saturday he might compete in the marathon at the 2016 Olympics in Rio rather than defend the 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles he won at last year's London Games. -- PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's Mo Farah indicated on Saturday he might compete in the marathon at the 2016 Olympics in Rio rather than defend the 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles he won at last year's London Games.

Farah is set to run in both the 5,000 and 10,000m at next month's World Championships in Moscow but will then turn his attention to the marathon for the remainder of the 2013 season.

The 30-year-old Farah, after showing his form with a comfortable 3,000m win in the London Anniversary Diamond League meeting at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday told Sky Sports that Moscow would mark the end of his track running programme this year.

"For me, this will be it. No more on the track. I'll be doing the Great North Run half-marathon (in September) and then I'll take a break, hopefully somewhere nice, and then get ready for the marathon."

As for switching to the marathon permanently in the run-up to Rio, Farah said: "We'll see, it depends. If I'm good at the marathon and it works well, you could see me in the marathon (in Rio). If it doesn't work out, you could see me back on the track."

Farah, returning to the scene of his superb double triumph, won the 3,000m Saturday when he burst clear with just over a lap left to finish first in a time of seven minutes 36.85 seconds.

There had been speculation he might attempt to break David Moorcroft's 31-year-old British record for the distance of 7:32.79 secs but with the world championships looming on the horizon, Farah said he'd no such plan Saturday.

Instead, as was the case at last year's Olympics, he was cheered to the echo by a capacity crowd.

"It brought back great memories of 2012," Farah said. "The crowd was similar to what it was at the Olympics.

"I've got my twin girls here in the stadium. At the Olympics my wife was almost giving birth in the stadium and they are here today.

"It was nice for them to come out here and see daddy win." Earlier Farah, speaking immediately after the race, said he was getting used to life as the man to beat.

"There're always new guys and sometimes they are more hungry than anything else," Farah said when asked about breaking the European 1,500m record eight days ago.

"My experience helps me a lot, but at the same time there's always someone new. It's important to stay focused and win races.

"I am (the man to beat) and that's hard sometimes. Every time you race you're a marked man with an X on your back."

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