Sir Mo Farah has been encouraged to take inspiration from marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge ahead of Sunday’s London Marathon.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist, two years older than the legendary Kenyan, enters Sunday’s race in good form after emerging victorious in the Big Half earlier this month to bounce back after being upset at the Vitality London 10,000 in May.
And race director Hugh Brasher that Farah can still produce a vintage performance on Sunday and in the future, with Kipchoge proving “age is no barrier to success”.
“I think that Eliud (who took 30 seconds off his own world record to win last Sunday’s Berlin Marathon in 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds) is proving – age 37 and he’s running a PB – that the age barriers that we used to think existed do not necessarily now exist.
“The door will always be open to Mo, he is Britain’s greatest ever endurance athlete – in terms of the number of Olympic gold medals, in terms of the World Championship gold medals.
“Our history goes back with him from the mini-marathon to the fact that we’ve supported him through his university time, something that’s not publicised that well.
“He is an absolutely superb athlete, he will always be welcome back and we’re really looking forward to having him there at the TCS London Marathon on Sunday.
“I hope he runs fantastically well.”
After the Covid forced postponement and a change of date in recent years, Sunday’s race will be the last to take place in October, with the traditional spot in April returning in 2023.
And the iconic race has plays to pay tribute to the Queen on Sunday, with details set to follow.
“We have some plans, we are working on them at the moment, they are being finalised,” Brasher said.
“We do plan to honour Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. As a race we’ve had an amazing (history with her), she started our event in 2018.
“The now Prince and Princess of Wales started it, with Harry (the Duke of Sussex) in 2017 and gave out the water, gave out medals on the finish line.”
“And the history of the marathon, the 26 miles 385 yards started from Windsor Castle in 1908, that was the first time that distance was run.
“So we absolutely think it is appropriate to do it (honour the Queen). We will announce what we are doing later but there will be a celebration of all that she did.
“She loved marathon running so we will be delighted to do that.”
