Mo Farah: Four-time Olympic champion to compete in London Marathon in 2019

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Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says he would like to be in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics

Britain's Mo Farah will run in next year's London Marathon on 28 April, organisers have announced.

The four-time Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion was third in this year's race, his first over the 26.2-mile distance since quitting the track.

Farah, 35, finished in two hours, six minutes and 21 seconds to break Steve Jones' 33-year-old British record.

Farah won October's Chicago Marathon in a new European record and wants to race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"Racing in London is very special to me and the London Marathon gives me the chance to run in front of my fans, on my home roads, where the atmosphere is like nothing else," he said.

"I feel I have made great strides in the past year, finishing third in London in April, and winning my first major marathon in Chicago in October. That and breaking both the British and European records has given me the confidence that I can compete against the best marathon runners in the world."

The Somali-born Londoner won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 2017 four months after winning his sixth world title on the track - the 10,000m in London - and then announcing his retirement to focus on marathon running.

Farah won 10 Olympic and World gold medals and two silvers during six years of track domination at major championships and also claimed a record fifth successive Great North Run in September.

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  • Comment posted by Scorpionwinger, at 07:59 20 Nov 2018

    Mo said that it was really hard to get a ballot place or to want to put his body through the hard work but the £500k appearance fee made him think he should show up for his fans and to make his family proud of him

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 09:21 20 Nov 2018

    From someone who struggles very slowly round a parkrun each week, I have so much admiration for what the elite athletes achieve.

    I went to the Athletics World Championships in London last year and when Mo emerged for his race (just a heat, not the final) the place erupted ... true athletics fans appreciate his dedication and achievements whereas jealous people try to undermine him ... childish.

  • Comment posted by Cromwellsbrain, at 09:43 20 Nov 2018

    What are the chances of that?

    Recently received my 6th (6th!) rejection VirginLondonMarathon running top.

    Mo applies twice and gets in twice.

    I smell something fishy.....

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 09:26 20 Nov 2018

    14. Finkelstein

    1) Kipchoge is a once in a lifetime marathon athlete and what he achieves is out of this world but does that mean everyone else should give up ... where is your competitive spirit?

    2) If you had got to the top of your profession and someone offered you £500k to showcase it, would you really turn it down?

    Grow up.

  • Comment posted by R Soul, at 09:14 20 Nov 2018

    7. he best Bhoys are Green Bhoys
    "Who cares about some men running around the streets of London?"
    ---

    Let's start with BARTS and hundreds of other charities that will receive millions for people desperate for help.

  • Comment posted by Googly, at 10:11 20 Nov 2018

    Maybe the FA will get involved and double Mo's appearance fee if he carries Wayne Rooney on his shoulders.

  • Comment posted by andyc209, at 11:06 20 Nov 2018

    To those complaining about the ballot - there is Good For Age - and before you say its too hard - well that's what its about - months of hard dedicated running to achieve it. I have 2 kids and a full time job but work our lives around training each day even if it means an 11pm finish - no TV!! . Unfortunately GFA does not guarantee a £500k appearance fee!

  • Comment posted by JGav, at 12:26 20 Nov 2018

    You've just got to laugh at the haters

  • Comment posted by andy, at 10:49 20 Nov 2018

    By the way it’s not only elite and charity runners. You can get in on good for age like myself and I’m certainly not an elite athlete. Great that Mo is running it will mean the streets of London are packed cheering everyone not just the elite.

  • Comment posted by Sid Vicious, at 10:10 20 Nov 2018

    @19 Elite athlete's dont have to apply, they get automatic entry if they wish, and quite rightly so.

  • Comment posted by Bread and circuses, at 08:20 20 Nov 2018

    Considering he is an asthma sufferer and takes medication.... and he struggles to hear his own door bell …. he has done really well for himself

  • Comment posted by charlieboy, at 10:54 20 Nov 2018

    @23. Fail? He's the european record holder for goodness sake. Like to see you run behind him for just a few yards. I think the Mobot is ridiculous but he is far from a failure. An also ran at 2hrs 5mins?

    I think the ballot would be fairer if those not run before get first dibs.

    Anyone with a brain would know that elite athletes don't have to go into the ballot, that would be stupid.

  • Comment posted by UpTheDale, at 07:48 20 Nov 2018

    If Kipchoge runs then it's really all about who will take second.

  • Comment posted by tmorgs, at 13:12 20 Nov 2018

    Professional Marathon Runner enters Marathon. What a story!

  • Comment posted by runnerism, at 12:43 20 Nov 2018

    Only reason he's competing is for the appearance money he'll got around £250,000 last time for toeing the line and what ever he got for coming 3rd.... he gets that and still takes funding from British Athletics/England Athletics but refuses to compete for England in the Commonwealths, that money could go on Brits could be the next Ron Hill, Steve Jones etc

  • Comment posted by 26point2, at 08:24 20 Nov 2018

    Fabulous athlete that Mo is, he has probably left the transition to marathon too late. As others have commented Kipchoge is so far ahead. The big interest is now whether he can go sub 2. Presumably he will give it a go in Berlin again. London is not as fast a course.

  • Comment posted by Licence payer, at 14:07 20 Nov 2018

    I'll be there via the good-for-age route. The effort needed to run a marathon in Mo's time is beyond the comprehension of most of us. But unless he can step it up even further, he might still be nearly a mile behind Kipchoge / Kipsang / Mutai et al. Great that he's up there, but keeping up with those guys right at the front is a huge ask.

  • Comment posted by Chris, at 13:17 20 Nov 2018

    £500k appearance fee & he still gets funding from the taxpayers?

  • Comment posted by jeffers65, at 11:24 20 Nov 2018

    19. Cromwellsbrain - It's obvious that he is running for a charity as he would have missed the dead line for the ballot by now!!!

  • Comment posted by Don Keyzed 65, at 11:21 20 Nov 2018

    Professional Marathon runner decides to get very well paid for running a Marathon.

    Why is this 'BIG' news??

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