Mo Farah set for London Marathon return

Mo Farah will return to the Virgin Money London Marathon in 2019, organisers of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race announced on Tuesady.

With four Olympic gold medals and six World Championship victories, Farah is already Great Britain’s most decorated track and field athlete and now he is breaking more records on the roads.

In his first year as a dedicated marathon runner, Farah finished third in this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon in a British record time of 2:06:21.

The 35-year-old Londoner bettered that in October’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon where he recorded his first marathon victory and set a new European record of 2:05:11.

He will return to the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28 looking to continue his upward trajectory.

“I’m delighted to confirm I’ll be returning to race the Virgin Money London Marathon again next year. I’ve often said how 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.

“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.

“London always puts together a world-class field and I expect that will be exactly the same in 2019 and I can’t wait for the challenge.”

Farah currently sits joint top of the Series XII Abbott World Marathon Majors standings which began at the 2018 Berlin Marathon and will conclude at the same race in 2019.

Farah’s win at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon puts him on 25 points alongside the Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and New York City Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia.