MO FARAH is out of this weekend’s London Marathon after failing to recover from a hip injury.
Team GB’s four-time Olympic champion was supposed to have been the headline act around the streets of London on Sunday.
Yet in a major blow to organisers and the competition’s field, the 39-year-old has decided to withdraw with the complaint – despite undergoing intensive rehab and treatment.
It is expected he will run at the 2023 race next April to fulfil a contractual agreement even though he will be 40 by then.
Farah said: “I’ve been training really hard over the past few months.
“I’d got myself back into good shape and was feeling pretty optimistic about being able to put in a good performance at the London Marathon.
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“However, over the past 10 days, I’ve been feeling pain and tightness in my right hip.
“I’ve had extensive physio and treatment and done everything I can to be on the start line but it hasn’t improved enough to compete on Sunday.
“It’s really disappointing to have to withdraw after a good last few months.
“I have always loved racing in front of my home crowd in London, who always give all of us athletes such amazing support.
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“I wish everyone taking part on Sunday a good run and I hope to be back out there with you in April 2023.”
This was supposed to have been Farah’s first marathon since Chicago in 2019 as he has struggled with injuries.
He missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and was beaten by a CLUB RUNNER over 10k in London in May.
Farah is the third major star to be absent after Kenyan Brigid Kosgei and Scot Eilish McColgan also quit the 26.2-mile sporting event.
Farah revealed in a BBC documentary in July that he was illegally smuggled to the UK from Somalia as a child.
He also said he had hidden the truth about his background and even his name is not real.
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Race director Hugh Brasher said: “We are so sorry that Sir Mo is not fit to run on Sunday.
“We wish him a very speedy recovery and hope to see him running in 2023.”
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Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
