Mo Farah, the reigning world and Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, missed the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow because he collapsed and knocked himself out on a bathroom floor and spent four days in hospital.
The 31-year-old British runner explained the full reason for his absence from Glasgow after arriving in Zurich for the European Athletics Championships, where he will contest the 10,000m tomorrow and the 5,000m on Friday.
He had originally withdrawn from the England team for the Commonwealth Games citing a lack of fitness after suffering from illness in the wake of his disappointing eighth-placed finish on his marathon debut in London in April.
"I basically had a tooth taken out because it was chipped and it got infected," said Farah, in an interview with BBC television.
"I was in a bit of pain, but went for a run, and when I came back I literally collapsed on the bathroom floor, completely knocked out.
"I had my phone in my pocket, so when I woke up and became conscious I called Cam Levins, my training partner - the Canadian guy who came third in the 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games - and he came round and got me onto my bed.
"I was in so much pain from my stomach, and so he called an ambulance and it took me to hospital. I then had to be airlifted to the main hospital as they thought something was going on with my heart.
"It was just crazy. I was in hospital for four days and it was scary, but these things happen.
