MARC SCOTT is preparing to realise a “lifelong dream” after beating Sir Mo Farah on Saturday night to claim the British 10,000m title and secure a place on Team GB for this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Northallerton runner enjoyed the biggest moment of his career as he kicked clear down the home straight in Birmingham to finish 0.7secs clear of Farah and post the best domestic performance in the European 10,000m Cup.

Scott finished seventh overall, but his performance as the best-placed British runner, coupled with the fact that he has already achieved the qualifying time when he went second on the UK’s all-time 10,000m rankings behind Farah in February, means he is now guaranteed a place on the British squad for Tokyo.

Farah’s hopes of competing in what would be a third successive Olympics are now hanging by a thread, but having left his native North Yorkshire to relocate to the United States almost a decade ago, Scott is looking forward to making his Olympic bow in Tokyo.

“It’s a lifelong dream to go to the Olympics and I’m really, really glad to have accomplished that,” said Scott, who briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a footballer as he trained in Leeds United’s academy before committing himself full-time to athletics when he secured a scholarship at the University of Tulsa. “It’s been a long time in the making – I’ve been running since I was ten years old. Seventeen years later, the work and dedication I’ve put in has really shown tonight.

“It hasn’t really sunk in just yet. I set out my intentions pretty early to everyone, and that’s what I did tonight, I was really pleased to get the win on the British side of things, and get on the plane.”

Scott’s success is the culmination of a fantastic couple of years that have seen the 27-year-old soar up the British rankings in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.

He is hoping to compete in both events at the Olympics, and while the fact he is based in the US has affected his ability to build his profile in Britain, stepping out of Farah’s shadow should catapult his career to a much higher level.

“I just wanted to get out there, follow the race, and see how it went,” added Scott. “I didn’t quite run up to what I expected to do, but it doesn’t matter at the end of the day, the result’s on the paper now. I got on the plane, won the British race, and I’m really delighted with that.

“It’s great to do it somewhere like this. It’s disappointing not to have the fans and the spectators we thought we could have had at one point, but obviously there’s bigger issues in the world right now. I’m delighted to do it on British soil and book the place – that was obviously the main goal.”

Farah must now run under 27 minutes 28 seconds by June 27 to guarantee a chance to defend his 10,000m titles from 2012 and 2016.

“I’m disappointed with the result,” said the distance-running legend. “The last ten days haven’t been great but no matter what I achieve in my career it’s important I come out and show at the trials.

“It would have been easy not to show. I dug in deep and with 15 laps to go, you know my face, I was hurting hard. I had to keep fighting and digging in.

“I’ve been carrying a niggle since I came back from training. It is frustrating.”