London Marathon: Kipruto eyes course record, Farah wants to bid farewell

Britain’s Mo Farah is predicting “tears and emotion” when he retires from marathon running after the London Marathon on Sunday.

The British distance great, a four-time Olympic champion on the track, announced in January that 2023 would be his final year as a top-flight athlete.

Farah missed last year’s edition with a hip injury but the 40-year-old, who has been in training in Ethiopia, is now ready for one final appearance.

“Sunday will probably be my last marathon in terms of just being realistic,” Farah told a press conference in London on Wednesday.

“It will be my last marathon. It won’t be my last race but in terms of the marathon, the London Marathon will be my last.” He added: “I started the mini-marathon here so for me it will be quite emotional. I remember (when I was) 14 years old, I was here watching great athletes running on the Sunday and I was here taking part in the mini-marathon.

“The support, the people coming out in London, I think that will get to me but I will try not to think about it and run. After the race maybe there might be a bit of tears and emotion.”

Farah won gold in both the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the 2012 Games in London before retaining both titles in Rio four years later.

But he failed to qualify for the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics, which took place in 2021, and has struggled with injuries.

“As an athlete, you always want to go out there and do the best you can but the last two years my body hasn’t allowed me to do what I needed to do in training,” said Farah. “That’s been the hardest thing.”

Defending champion Kenya's Amos Kipruto is targeting the London Marathon course record of 2 hour 2min 37sec but his fellow countryman Kelvin Kiptum could beat him to it.

Kiptum, 23, made the fastest marathon debut ever last December when he won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01:53 to become the third-fastest man in history over the marathon distance, behind Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele.

Kipruto, 30, who won the title last October and has to defend it sooner than normal due to the event switching back to its traditional April date, says his training has gone so well that not only is he seeking to retain his title, but is trying to better the mark set in London by world record holder Eliud Kipchoge in 2019.

"I’m really happy to be here again," said Kipruto at a pre-event press conference.

"Winning in London last year was great for me, in terms of visibility, and gave me the chance to be here again this year.

"I’m looking forward to Sunday; I’ll be with the fast guys at the front.

"I know Sunday will be tough for me, and for everyone, but I’m ready."

Kiptum said he had expected a good performance in Valencia after recording several sub-59-minute times over the half-marathon distance.

"I was not expecting to find the marathon difficult," he said.

"I knew I could do it.

"I was expecting to run 2:03; that was my target.

"I enjoyed the race in Valencia; it was perfect.

"I come to London for a win; that’s my target.

"I’m not ready to go for a world record, but I’ve come to win in London."

Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s world champion Tamirat Tola, who finished fourth behind Kiptum at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, will be hoping for a better result when he races the London Marathon for a third time.

"Valencia was a good race for me," he said.

"I made a mistake with my pacing, but I finished.

"We will see on Sunday.

"I’ve done more training and have a lot of experience from that."

The 31-year-old Ethiopian has finished in sixth place at his two previous London Marathons, in 2019 and 2020.

"The London Marathon is not new for me; I’ve run here twice before, and I’ve prepared well in training and will run a fast time again - maybe a PB I think."