Mo Farah insists he has unfinished business with the marathon and has set his sights on a return to the London event next year.
Farah has scrapped plans to compete over the distance at the Tokyo Olympics, instead switching to the 10,000metres, where he is bidding for a hat-trick of Olympic titles over the distance.
But despite turning 38 in the build-up to next year’s London Marathon, he said: “I’ll be back to the marathon at some point. I’m not done with it. But this year it all comes down to Tokyo.”
Farah has a long association with the London Marathon, running the event’s junior races before making his full debut in 2014 while still competing on the track. He finished eighth and missed out on the British record, but returned again in 2018 when he finished third.
Last year, he was fifth but more than three minutes behind event winner Eliud Kipchoge. And Farah admitted he was counting down the days until Kipchoge, the dominant force of marathon running, retires and thereby makes his return easier.
He added: “Eliud beat Hicham El Guerrouj to win the world title in Paris in 2003 before I was even running properly. He’s got to end at some point, but he’s still going strong.”
Farah remains a top draw for London Marathon officials, who admitted today they were keen to get him back on the start line for next year’s event.
Event director Hugh Brasher told Standard Sport: “Everyone wishes Sir Mo all the best for the track season in 2020 as he prepares to go for gold in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics.
“We’d de delighted to welcome Mo back in 2021. It’s always great to have him at our events. We’ve supported Mo since he was a schoolboy.”
