Olympic and World champion Farah out of Commonwealth Games

British athlete Mo Farah completed the men's race in the 2014 London Marathon in eighth place in central London on April 13, 2014. Farah has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games due to fitness concerns, his team announced on July 24, 2014. PHOTO | LEON NEAL

By  AFP

What you need to know:

  • The 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic champion, 31, was recently laid low by illness and has decided to pull out of the Glasgow event in order to work on his fitness ahead of next month's European Championships in Zurich.
  • Yury Borzakovsky, who won gold for Russia in the men's 800m at the 2004 Olympic Games, on Tuesday announced his retirement from competitive athletics.
  • Borzakovsky has won 11 domestic 800m gold medals between 1999-2009, and three European titles.

GLASGOW

England's double Olympic champion Mo Farah has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games due to fitness concerns, his team announced on Thursday.

The 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic champion, 31, was recently laid low by illness and has decided to pull out of the Glasgow event in order to work on his fitness ahead of next month's European Championships in Zurich.

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"I have taken the tough decision to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games," Farah said in a statement released by Team England.

"I really wanted to add the Commonwealth titles to my Olympic and World Championships, but the event is coming a few weeks too soon for me as my body is telling me it's not ready to race yet. Best wishes to my fellow athletes in Glasgow."

Meanwhile, Yury Borzakovsky, who won gold for Russia in the men's 800m at the 2004 Olympic Games, on Tuesday announced his retirement from competitive athletics.

"I want to announce officially the end of my sporting career," the 33-year-old, who also won gold at the 2001 world indoor championships, told the R-Sport agency.

"Now I will start work full-time as an athletics official and continue training," said Borzakovsky, who withdrew from the 2014 Russian championships because of injury.

Borzakovsky has won 11 domestic 800m gold medals between 1999-2009, and three European titles.

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