London Marathon 2023: Mo Farah says his final 26.2-mile race will 'be emotional'

'This is the last marathon journey' - Farah looks ahead to London race

By Harry Poole
BBC Sport

TCS London Marathon

Date: Sunday, 23 April Times: 09:15 BST wheelchair races, 09:25 elite women, 10:00 elite men and masses

Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app from 08:30 with coverage of the finish line on digital services until 18:00

Mo Farah expects the London Marathon to be an "emotional" occasion as he prepares to race over the distance for the final time before retirement.

The four-time Olympic track champion, who turned 40 last month, confirmed in January that he expects 2023 to be the last year of his glittering career.

"It won't be my last race but London will be my last marathon," British record holder Farah said on Thursday.

"It will be quite emotional. Maybe after the race there will be tears."

"The support, the people coming out in London, I think that will get to me," he added. "But I will try not to think about it and run."

A hip injury prevented Farah from taking part in last year's event and, following a frustrating couple of years, Sunday's race in his home city is set to be his first full marathon since 2019.

Since his switch to the 26.2-mile distance, after an unprecedented 10th successive global distance track title at the 2017 World Championships, Farah's progress has been hampered by injury issues and he has raced just eight times since October 2019.

"It's definitely been quite emotional the last couple of years," he said.

"As an athlete you want to go out there and do the best you can but my body hasn't allowed me to.

"The last two years have definitely been tough. The key thing for me is, if I can stay injury-free and can do the work, I will continue. But my body is not allowing me."

He added: "This is it. I don't know if my body can do it week-in, week-out."

Getty Images

Mo Farah participated in the Mini London Marathon at the age of 14

Farah, whose best placing in his three previous races in London was third in 2018, does not intend to compete at the World Championships in Budapest this summer.

But he still plans to contest "a couple of races" following Sunday's outing before he decides to call time on his career.

The Briton finished a disappointing seventh in 30 minutes and 41 seconds in the Port-Gentil 10km in Gabon two weeks ago, after training in Ethiopia.

In London, he is set to come up against a stacked elite men's field featuring four of the five fastest runners in history.

"That race [in Gabon] was just to test myself and see what I can do," said Farah. "It didn't go as well as I wanted but you have to move on to the next one.

"You have to look at your training consistency. I have done decent training and I'm happy with where I am."

London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher urged the crowds to get behind Farah as the British running legend says goodbye to the race.

Speaking on Wednesday, Brasher said: "I hope the crowd are cheering him on every step of the way to thank him for all he has done."

He added: "My only expectation is I really hope he runs with a smile on his face."

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