(Reuters) – Britain’s four-times Olympic champion Mo Farah will take part in his home London Marathon in April after missing the race last year, the long-distance runner said on Tuesday.
Farah, who won the Chicago Marathon in 2018 and is also the national record holder in the marathon, missed the London Marathon last year when he was forced to withdraw due to injury.
“I was really disappointed to miss last October’s London Marathon because of injury but I’m so happy the event has returned to April for 2023 as I don’t have to wait a whole year to get another chance,” Farah, who won 5,000 metres and 10,000m gold in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, said in a statement.
“The London Marathon has always been special to me and I am looking forward to being back out there on the roads of my home town.”
Farah will be joined by reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres champion Eilish McColgan, who also withdrew ahead of her debut last year due to a medical issue. The 32-year-old 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 2021 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.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
