Athletics: Farah returns for London Marathon, McColgan to make her debut
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Mo Farah missed the London Marathon in 2022 when he was forced to withdraw due to injury.
PHOTO: AFP
LONDON – Britain’s four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah said on Tuesday he expects 2023 to be the final year of his career, after confirming he will give his home London Marathon “one more shot” in April.
He withdrew from the 2022 event due to injury. He has run the London race three times, his best finish was third in 2018, the year he won the Chicago Marathon.
“I’m not a spring chicken any more and you can’t keep coming back and getting into races unless you are in the right shape.
“I’m not going to go to the (2024 Paris) Olympics and I think 2023 will probably be my last year,” said Farah, who turns 40 in March.
“It has been an amazing career and, for me, to take part in the London Marathon is a big deal. It has always been special to me, I’m looking forward to being back out there on the roads of my home town.
“I have always said it would be nice to win it one day, but it takes a lot... It is just nice to say goodbye and it will be quite emotional.
“I am very proud of what I have achieved and I just want to give myself one more shot and see what I can do. But I have nothing to prove.”
The 5,000m and 10,000m Olympic champion in 2012 and 2016 will be joined by reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan, who also withdrew ahead of her debut in 2022 due to a medical issue.
The Scot, 32, is the daughter of the 1996 winner Liz McColgan.
“It was disappointing not to have taken part in last year’s London Marathon. I had such a fantastic summer on the track and the plan was always to follow that with my marathon debut in London,” the 2022 Birmingham Games gold medallist said.
“But I have been able to take further time to fully prepare for running a marathon and April will come around very quickly so I am extremely excited.
“The London Marathon is obviously a special event for me and my family with my mum having won the 1996 race and I just can’t wait to experience it for myself.”
The race will be held on the streets of London on April 23. The full elite field will be announced on Wednesday. REUTERS
