(London) British long-distance and middle-distance runner Mo Farah expects “tears and emotion” on Sunday when he bids farewell to the marathon at the finish of the London marathon.
“Sunday will probably be my last marathon, if I’m realistic. It won’t be my last race, but it will be my last marathon,” the four-time Olympic champion, 40, said at a press conference in London on Thursday.
The Somali-born champion announced last January that 2023 would be his last year as a top athlete. He was unable to participate in the London Marathon last year due to a hip injury.
“I started the half marathon here (in London) so for me it will be very emotional (Sunday),” he continued. “The support from the public, from all these people who came to London, I think it will affect me, but I will try not to think about it and run. But after the race there may be a bit of tears and emotion. »
Mo Farah was Olympic champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 m at the Games in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. But he then suffered several injuries and he could not qualify for the Tokyo Games in the summer. 2021. His track record also includes six world championship titles.
He finished third in the London Marathon in 2018, the year he won the Chicago Marathon.
“These last two years, my body has not allowed me to do what is necessary in training, and that’s what has been the most difficult,” he finally admitted.