London 10,000: Mo Farah to race for first time since June

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Farah failed to make the Olympic 10,000m qualifying time at a specially arranged race at the British Championships in June

Vitality London 10,000

Location: London Date: Monday 2 May Time: 09:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says it would not "make any sense" to continue racing if he could not compete at the highest level.

The 39-year-old Briton will compete in Monday's Vitality London 10,000, his first race since failing to qualify for last year's delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Farah, who struggled with a foot injury, fell short of the Great Britain 10,000m qualifying time in June.

"If you can't mix with the best then maybe it's time to step down," he said.

Farah told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I always told myself that if I'm not going to be able to compete with the guys at the top then it doesn't make any sense.

"It doesn't mean I don't love the sport - I do and that's what keeps me going.

"I see it as something that makes me happy and I enjoy and just do the best that I can. I'm excited and I'm looking forward to it."

Farah will take on Phil Sesemann, the first male British finisher in the 2021 London Marathon, and Chris Thompson, who won the British Olympic trial last year, on Monday.

Asked in July about what race he imagines will mark the end of his career, Farah said: "I think it will be a marathon, or half marathon, and I'd love one more track event."

Farah returned to the track in 2020 after three years of focusing on the marathon, but his failure to qualify for Tokyo meant he could not defend the 10,000m title he won at Rio 2016.

Farah fractured a foot during training in the build-up to qualifying.

"For me, it was all about the Olympics. Not being able to do it and being injured was hard," he said.

"It took six months (for the injury to heal). It was hard but I've got a great family, beautiful kids, and got more involved in my family life."

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Farah has taken on a number of projects outside athletics, including playing in September's Soccer Aid charity game

In-form Eilish McColgan could threaten Paula Radcliffe's 19-year-old British and European 10km record in the women's race.

The Scot, 31, broke Radcliffe's British half-marathon mark in February and improved her own British 5km record in Malaga on Sunday.

McColgan's 10km best, set in Manchester last year, is 30 minutes 52 seconds, 31 seconds short of Radcliffe's mark.

"I couldn't have asked for a better start to my 2022 season than to set a new British 5k record in my first race," said McColgan.

Steph Twell and Jess Piasecki will also compete alongside McColgan, but Charlotte Purdue withdrew because of illness.

Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir and Shelly Woods, who has won two Paralympic silver medals and one bronze, will lead the wheelchair fields.