Mo Farah bows out of London Marathon after body lets him down

By Jeremy Wilson on The Mall

Mo Farah admits that only a wave of crowd support stopped him quitting the London Marathon after his body effectively gave way during the race, his last at this distance. Farah was close to tears in his 26.2-mile swansong but was determined to finish in front of his home crowd.

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for the crowd and the support I would have dropped out at some point,” said Farah who, having gamely started at a pace that would have seen him get close to his best London Marathon time, faltered over the second half of the race to finish as the third British runner.

It was at least a new national Masters marathon record (for over 40s) of 2hr 10min 28sec but Farah immediately confirmed that he will now retire after the Great Manchester 10km next month and then the Great North Run half-marathon in September.

Farah won the Great North Run six times in a row between 2014 and 2019 and, while this performance suggests that he will remain competitive over 13.1 miles, it was also further evidence that the best marathon runners are operating at a different level.

“That was the best I could do,” said Farah. “I’ve had good preparation but the last two years I have struggled with my body and not been able to do what I want in terms of running 120 miles a week. I honestly thought I could run between 2hr 5min and 2hr 7min. The body didn’t respond. If the body is not responding, that’s it. The marathon today was won in 2hr 1min. I don’t think my body can do that.

“When I moved from track to the marathon, I did struggle. I can hopefully now enjoy time with my family and little ones. My kids are into running and I hope to see them involved in the sport.”

Farah was caught and passed by two other British athletes - Emile Cairess after 15 miles and then Phil Sesemann on the final sprint up The Mall - before finishing ninth. He wobbled like an exhausted prize-fighter as he crossed the line but, amid a rapturous reception through the streets of London, it had been an admirable swansong. Now 40, Farah said that it was the people - and even the memory of the London 2012 Olympics, where he won double gold over 5,000m and 10,000m - that sustained him.

"Part of me wanted to cry along the course,” said Farah. “I’ll never forget that crowd. I wanted to drop out. But so many people came out to support me. I just wanted to say thank-you. This city is incredible. There is no place like home. Whenever I can’t motivate myself, have struggles, I think back to that crowd.

“It is emotional. I started here in the mini marathon... I would never have believed I could be Olympic champion. I never thought I could challenge the Kenyans and the Ethiopians, until I started living and training with them and training. I don’t have regrets - as an athlete you have to make mistakes to be the best.”

The race was won by Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya’s 23-year-old marathon sensation, in an extraordinary course record time of 2hr 1min 25sec that was only 16 seconds outside Eliud Kipchoge's world record. Kiptum was already the fastest marathon debutant in history and, having made a relatively cautious start, broke clear after 30km to run the second half of the race in less than an hour. It was almost two minutes faster than he had run the opening 13.1 miles on what was supposedly the slower half of the course.

It was also a performance which suggests that he has the talent to not just surpass Kipchoge as the fastest marathon runner of all-time, but become the first runner under two hours in any conventional competitive race. Kipchoge, who is a four-time winner of the London Marathon and the double reigning Olympic champion, famously became the first runner under two hours in a special paced event in Vienna in 2019.

Kiptum said that he had been unaware of the time and how close he was to the world record as he put almost three minutes into compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor during an incredible 12 kilometre surge to the finish.

London Marathon 2023, as it happened

02:01 PM

Thanks for following this with us

Congratulations and respect to everyone participating. We've also had two superb wins in the men's and women's races, as good as we've seen. Thanks for following and good afternoon.

01:54 PM

Here is Sifan Hassan giving an interview

01:36 PM

Emile Cairess talks to the BBC

"It did not feel easy. I made some mistakes, my training carried me over the line. I have a lot to learn but I can take this experience forward."

01:26 PM

Perri Shakes-Drayton

the latest runner to be interviewed.

Oh and now here is a lady dressed as a duck. "I am a duck, quack, quack. This weather is good for me," she tells the BBC.

01:02 PM

Gabby Logan

"It doesn't matter what time they finish in, they are all winners."

12:56 PM

Great Ormond Street is the main charity this year

Feature on the BBC just now with Jess Ennis-Hill visiting a couple called Luke and Sophie. Their son Huxley was born with undiagnosed Downs and died at three days old. They had another son, Ralphie, who got leukaemia. Both children were treated at GOSH; Ralphie looks in fine fettle as he and his mum and dad join Logan for a chat.

12:46 PM

Jeremy Wilson on Sifan Hassan

Sifan Hassan produced one of the most extraordinary marathon performances in history to recover from a 28 second deficit and an apparent hip injury to win the London Marathon on her debut over the distance.

A world and Olympic champion at distances ranging from 1,500m to 10,000m, Hassan had never previously run the 26.2 marathon distance and had looked like she would pull out of the first half of the race after stopping several times due to an apparent hip injury.

Read the full story here: Sifan Hassan defies odds to win London Marathon on her debut over distance

12:39 PM

BBC now meeting the runners

JJ Chalmers: "It doesn't get any more iconic than this, being on Tower Bridge during the London."

Steve Brown: "I am by the iconic Cutty Sark Ship."

Jeanette Kwakye is on the Rainbow Row (Butcher Row in Limehouse) section of the course which is celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities.

12:25 PM

We'll focus now on the non elite

part of the occasion. Gabby Logan calls it a "unique life affirming experience."

12:21 PM

Hassan to the BBC

"London has been in my dreams. I am so grateful to be here. I will never forget this race."

She explains that she has had to practice drinking on the way round (!) because she isn't used to doing that. She then realised she was drinking more than she had to. She says she sets her alarm at 3am in the States to get up and watch this race.

12:12 PM

And here is Mo Farah finishing

he is coming around the final bend in The Mall. He has got Phil Sesemann for company, and more company than he would like. His fellow Brit goes past him. The baton is passed to the next generation. Mo finishes in 2 ours 10 minutes 28 seconds. He looks wearied as he acknowledges the smattering of applause.

Onward to retirement, Sir Mo. He will not race over this distance again.

He is one of four Brits in the top ten. Emile Cairess in sixth (2.08.07), Phil Sessemann five seconds ahead of Farah, and then Chris Thompson running 2.11.50

Paula Radcliffe tells the BBC: "It doesn't get any easier, does it? There is no stopping Father Time and no matter how much you have done in the past, you have to pass the baton to the next generation and we have seen that today from Mo to Emile Cairess and Phil Sessemann. They would have loved watching Mo all of these years and he has inspired so many. He can now ease his way in to retirement and he has certainly deserved it."

Mo Farah on the BBC: "The crowd was amazing. London is where it's at. I was confident and I thought I could do two zero five. My body didn't respond as I wanted. I pushed hard but that's when you know, when it is time to call it, time to call it a day. Part of me wanted to cry along the course, the support from people. That has been what keeps me going. The support of other people. It is emotional. I started here in the mini marathon... I would never have believed I could be Olympic champion. We need to give back to young athletes and teach them that anything is possible. I would love to be able to give back to that younger people. I never thought I could challenge the Kenyans and the Ethiopians, until I started living with them and training with them.

"The Great North Run will be my final race. I am looking forward to enjoying family time and getting involved with the grasser root."

12:09 PM

More on Hassan

Sifan Hassan was a surprise winner of the TCS London Marathon on her debut over the distance.

The Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete's victory was all the more remarkable because she fell way off the pace, clutching her hip, around the 15-mile mark.

But Hassan, who is the 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic champion, reeled in the leaders with three miles to go.

The 30-year-old then survived making a mess of collecting a drink from a water station, but recovered again and even offered rival Yalemzerf Yehualaw, last year's winner, a swig from her bottle.

Being a track athlete gave Hassan a distinct advantage in a sprint finish and she pulled away from Alemu Megertu and Peres Jepchirchir down The Mall, coming home in two hours 18 minutes and 33 seconds.

Former Olympic middle-distance runner Steve Cram was gobsmacked at Hassan's triumph.

"Sifan Hassan has done something that nobody could ever have expected," he said on BBC One.

"She was struggling, she was grabbing her hip, stopping to stretch it off.

"She would have been dreaming of just finishing. She can hardly believe it, this might just be the best success of her life."

12:08 PM

Other men's finishers

Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya is second. Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, the world champion is third.

Emile Cairess of GB is sixth.

12:05 PM

British interest

Cairess on Birdcage Walk.

11:57 AM

Kiptum wins!

At 40km Kiptum is timed at 1 hour 55. Nobody else is in the frame. He is in with an outside chance of the world record.

Coming round the bend, the course record is definitely going here. The world record will not go today. He is wandering around the track. But he breasts the tape now, collapses on the floor. This is going to be the second fastest time ever. He gets to his feet and acknowledges the acclaim.

Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum with the second fastest marathon in history. The 23-year-old has broken the course record with an incredible time of 2:01.27.

He missed out on Eliud Kipchoge's world record by 18 seconds.

Here is Steve Cram on the BBC: "It is still an incredible performance and one of the greatest we have seen on this course, the fastest we have seen on this course. We have never seen anything like this before on the streets of London and Kelvin Kiptum has put in the performance of his life. He blew the field apart."

11:56 AM

Mo Farah

has put in a game effort here and he will be carried out on his shield but he is a long way back.

11:44 AM

Sifan Hassan wins women's marathon

Megertu tries to kick but here is Hassan - she goes into another gear and she has won in amazing style.

Peres Jepchirchir and Alemu Megertu round out the podium.

Here is Steve Cram on the BBC: "In her debut marathon! She has taken on the toughest race, the longest of her life, and that is just absolutely brilliant. Sifan Hassan has done something that nobody could ever have expected. She was struggling, she was grabbing her hip, stopping to stretch it off. She would have been dreaming of just finishing. She can hardly believe it, this might just be the best success of her life."

Video of it here

11:41 AM

Women

few hundred metres left. Four are in it. Hassan with a surge and three are now contesting this: Chepkirui, Hassan and Megertu

Paula Radcliffe on the BBC: "Their drinks are on the right hand side of the road and the leaders have all been locked in at hanging in to the left, where the blue line is that they can follow.

Hassan wasn't prepared to have to make the move over and go back, but she has done well to make it. She's even offering her drink to the others!

There's a real psychological battle now and that may yet come in to play, because some of the other runners didn't manage to get theirs in time."

11:39 AM

Here is Kiptum

in splendid isolation, way ahead of the field.

11:38 AM

The women have about a mile or so to go

Coming up to Big Ben now. Past the London eye. There are five in a group here.

11:37 AM

Kiptum kicking on

11:31 AM

Comeback gal

Here is Jeremy Wilson: "Gasps inside the press room at the race Sifan Hassan is running. She looked like she might pull out in the first half of the race on her marathon debut and has now got back to the leaders, who are running at a time that could threaten the world record in a women's only race. She was 28 seconds behind the lead group at 30k. Hassan, remember, is a multi world and Olympic champion on the track and so should have considerable speed at the finish... "

11:25 AM

Hassan

who looked to be struggling badly with her hip earlier has somehow rallied to get back into that leading group.

11:21 AM

David Weir

Paralympics 2012 hero, has finished fifth in the men's wheelchair.

11:20 AM

Record up for grabs?

11:18 AM

Women's wheelchair

The women's wheelchair race has been won by 2018 winner Madison de Rozario of Australia, who pipped four-time champion Manuela Schar on the finish line in an exciting finish.

11:15 AM

Mo Farah

is trying to hang on, Cairess looking good value to be the top Brit here.

11:05 AM

Inspirational

11:00 AM

Mo Farah

on Tower Bridge, it's about the halfway mark.

Here is Jeremy Wilson: "Yorkshire’s Emile Cairess - only 25 - on his marathon debut now moving up towards the small Mo Farah group that is behind the leaders. Much excitement on the domestic athletics scene about what Cairess can do in the marathon; he was the European cross-country silver medallist shortly before Christmas behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen but this is first race over 26.2 miles. They are on pace for around 2hr 7min, meaning Cairess could move very high today on the all-time British marathon list."

10:58 AM

Men's wheelchair result

Swiss star Marcel Hug has won a fifth men's wheelchair race in London, just six days after winning the Boston Marathon.

The 'Silver Bullet' shattered his own course record with a time of one hour, 23 minutes and 43 seconds.

10:52 AM

The wheelchair women racers

Have gone past Big Ben and are coming up Birdcage Walk, just around the corner from HMDT office.

10:41 AM

MND

Jeremy Wilson writes: "Among those in a newly created wheelchair-assisted route is the unbeaten four-times Ironman champion Chrissie Wellington, who is raising money for Stand Against MND by pushing her friend Sam Perkins, a triathlete who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019."

10:35 AM

Women's race

10:27 AM

Telegraph Sport marathon regular Nick Hoult tweets

I urge you to read this piece if you have time, it is excellent.

Terminal cancer won’t stop me running the London Marathon

10:23 AM

Jeremy Wilson

"Mo Farah has now settled into that second group."

10:22 AM

Chance to Shine

10:13 AM

Mo Farah

Jeremy Wilson writes: "Mo Farah in full GB kit for his marathon swansong... a little while since he has worn that kit at a major championships but he has started with intent by going with the fastest runners. There had been a theory that he'd go off more cautiously by going with the second group."

10:12 AM

Deeply dippy

10:00 AM

Kipchoge is to be the starter

they are off! It's mild but drizzly now.

09:57 AM

The elite men are ready to go

And the mass event a few yards behind them.

09:53 AM

Jeremy Wilson

writes: "Worth keeping an eye on the woman who has been lingering about a metre off the back of the front group in the green cycling-style shorts for most of the race. No-one has any real idea how Sifan Hassan will last in the final third of the race but, if she stays in touch, there is unlikely to be a faster finisher."

09:52 AM

David Picksley

90 years old! Is doing the marathon.

09:45 AM

Eliud Kipchoge

tells the BBC. "The crowd is wonderful here. It is good to see the running community cheering."

09:42 AM

Flower power

09:38 AM

Hugh Brasher, race director

"We have been talking to XR and Just Stop Oil. Environment is vital, runners need clean air. We need to take action not just have conversations.

"I have no idea what individuals might decide to do. It is 22 miles of roadway. We hope that people see this event does a lot for physical and mental health."

09:36 AM

McColgan

09:35 AM

Kosgei update

Jeremy Wilson writes: "Brigit Kosgei, the fastest female marathon runner ever, left marooned near the start after lasting less than three minutes. There had been rumours that she might not start and clearly came into the race with a significant injury and just hoping that it worked out. Eilish McColgan also pulled out on Sunday ahead of an eagerly awaited marathon debut. Two big blows for the race, but still reckoned to be the finest women's field ever assembled, with particular interest in what the Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan can do in her first marathon."

09:34 AM

Rain is forecast

from about 10am here in Westminster.

09:30 AM

Brigid Kosgei

is limping, and has pulled up. That looks to be the end of her race, she came into it carrying an injury.

More from Steve Cram: "It's cool, and the conditions are looking good for a fast time. There may be a bit of rain and a breeze later on which could have an impact, but there is so much talent on show in this women's race. We are expecting an absolute cracker."

09:22 AM

Steve Cram

"Possibly the greatest women's race ever assembled."

Those women are about to start.

And they are off!

09:20 AM

Junior edition

09:10 AM

Bloke there

is doing it dressed as a milkman, carrying four pints of milk.

08:56 AM

Jeremy Wilson writes...

If all goes to plan on Sunday, Chris Thompson will run another marathon in London that puts him in contention for a third Olympics before spending even longer cheering home his mum in the same race.

Thompson was Great Britain’s sole marathon finisher in Tokyo and, proving that Olympians can inspire previous as well as future generations, his mum Wendy suddenly surprised him.

“We were chatting one day and she said, 'I'd love to run a marathon',” he says. “It was two or three years ago. Even parkrun she had never done because she was too intimidated to run with people. She wanted to put her headphones on and not be seen. My dad got her treadmill. Now she has done 3½ hour runs. She kept putting off the thought of doing it. She finally got in. She has been smashing PBs in terms of distances and times.”

And so it was on Thursday that Wendy, who is 65, joined Chris on the train to London from Thatcham to the London Marathon Expo to collect their race numbers. Chris, who will start in the elite field with Sir Mo Farah, Kenenisa Bekele and Kelvin Kiptum, will be hoping to better the 2hr 10m 50 ses he ran in Kew Gardens to make the 2021 Olympic team.

Wendy, who will be in the mass race that starts behind the elite runners at 9.30am, will simply be overjoyed to fulfill her ambition of completing the race.

Chris is forecasting a finish time of around five hours for his mum, hopefully giving him plenty of time to complete his media and anti-doping duties, change, refuel and get out on the course with the rest of the Thompson family.

“We have our cheer squad,” he says. “All my family are coming in to watch my mum. I texted my brother: ‘Are you coming?‘ and it was ‘Oh yeah, we will for this one’. They never usually come in to watch me.

“No matter what my result is we want to go and celebrate what my mum has achieved. Travelling into London with her on Thursday reminded me of what is great about the event. It takes it back to the roots of why we do it and why London Marathon is such a special weekend.”

Thompson, who is himself now 42, also believes that he can still keep improving. “Since my first GB vest in 1998 I have never given up,” he said.

Among those in a newly created wheelchair-assisted route on Sunday is the unbeaten four-times Ironman champion Chrissie Wellington, who is rasing money for Stand Against MND by pushing her friend Sam Perkins, a triathlete who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019.

08:45 AM

Adele Roberts

has a stoma, and had bowel cancer last year.

08:41 AM

Babs

Adele Roberts, the bloke from Mumford and Sons, and Scott Mitchell are the next people up for interview by Logan. Mitchell is the husband of the late Barbara Windsor.

08:36 AM

Timings

Men and women elite wheelchair at 9.15am

Elite women at 9.25am

Elite men and mass race 10am

08:32 AM

Gabby Logan

is presenting the coverage for the BBC. 47,000 people will take part. She's interviewing some people who were contestants on Great British Bake Off, including a former winner of that, Sophie: "It isn't raining, so you won't have soggy bottoms," says Logan.

And they have given Gabby a cake;  she turns 50 tomorrow.

08:00 AM

London Marathon today

Good morning and welcome to our live blog coverage of the London Marathon 2023. It's a mild, dry morning in the capital so far, and all around the city we are seeing runners in ones, twos and little groups making their way to the start.

There were environmental protests at yesterday's Scottish Grand National. Organisers of today's Marathon have stepped up security to avoid protests, with environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion agreeing to help guard the race from disruption.

For everyday people, this event is a chance to challenge themselves to the limit and, in many cases, raise some money for causes close to their heart.

It's also an elite sporting event at the same time, for the likes of Sir Mo Farah. He has said this will be his last. He has had a hip issue and has not been involved since 2019.

Defending elite men's champion Amos Kipruto said: "Yes, Mo Farah is a real inspiration for the young generation like us and I hope to run more years like Mo Farah is racing. I am looking forward to running with Mo Farah on Sunday and I wish him good luck."

Current world champion Tamirat Tola remembered running with Farah at the 2016 Rio Games, where the Briton claimed gold. Tola, the Ethiopian, finished third in the 10,000 metres.

"Before we ran in Rio at the Olympic 10,000, now he comes to the marathon," Tola explained.

"He is more experienced in 10,000. Maybe on Sunday he will run together with us and we will stay together. I hope (this) for him."

Meanwhile, Kelvin Kiptum, who ran the third-fastest ever marathon time in Valencia in December, is excited to compete against Farah for the first time.

Kiptum added: "Of course I saw Mo Farah, still I was young. He was a great athlete. One time I used to say I will compete with Mo Farah so I am very excited to race with him."

The man himself said: "It will be my last marathon. After that I will do a couple more races, it hasn't been announced yet and I will not announce it yet but in terms of marathons, this is it.

"I do owe it for the British crowd and the people who supported me throughout my journey. From a young boy to someone who became four-time Olympic champion and that Super Saturday, the crowd and the people in the stadium did follow my journey.

"For me it is a great way to end my marathon career here. This is where it started with the mini-marathon that took place and I won. Then going onto the seniors and finishing third in 2018, that was my best but age catches up with us all.

"The key thing is to make the most of it, enjoy it and I am sure the crowd will make a big difference for me on Sunday. As you get to the last 10km, the last six miles, I know it will be tough.

"I would love to give back to the community, to young kids and become a coach or development coach. I want to continue to give back the skills and tools I have learnt.

"What motivates me is seeing young athletes coming along and having that energy. If I can give something to those young athletes and take them to the next level, I would love to do that."