Sir Mo Farah confirms he will be on the elite start line for the TSC London Marathon in April

Mo Farah returns to London marathon for first time since 2019
Sir Mo Farah will take to the start line of the London marathon for the first time since 2019. Credit: PA images

Britain’s most successful track athlete has confirmed he’ll be on the entry list for this year’s men’s elite race around the capital. Sir Mo Farah, who missed last year’s event due to a hamstring injury, says he is now recovered and looking forward to racing in his hometown again. Farah has signalled that 2023 will be the final year of his athletics career after confirming he will give the TSC London Marathon "one more shot" in April. “It’s been an amazing career and taking part in the London Marathon is a very big deal,” he said. “I was gutted not to race last year, and I just want to give it one more shot. “It depends on my body. I just want to get to the start line and see what I can manage. I’m just taking one race at a time. “I’m not a spring chicken anymore. You can’t keep coming back in the right shape and, for me, I’d love to be able to finish it at home. “We are getting closer to the end of my career, for sure.”

Farah has ruled out a fourth Olympics next year but hinted that with the World Athletic Championships in August, he could still be tempted to put on the GB vest one last time. “I’m not going to go to the Olympics, and I think 2023 will be my last year,” he added. “But if it came down to it towards the end of the year and you did get picked for your country, I’d never turn that down. “But like I say, I’m just taking it one race at a time and getting ready for the London Marathon, which is a big one.” In 2018 Farah finished third at the London Marathon, setting a new British record, which he later went on to beat again when he won the Chicago Marathon that same year in a time of 2:05:01.

Sir Mo Farah came 3rd at the London Marathon 2018, going on to break the British record later that year in Chicago. Credit: PA images

This April will be his first-time racing over the marathon distance since 2019 where he came 5th in the London Marathon. Last year he raced just twice, winning The Big Half and coming second in a shock defeat to club runner Ellis Cross in the Vitality 10km. “It’s been a little different,” he said. “Throughout my career I’ve always approached every race knowing you’ve got to do the right training. “So, it’s been a little while. But I’ll be preparing well, I’ll head out to Ethiopia and put in a lot of solid training and see what I can do when it comes to April.”

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