Mo Farah, a four-time Olympic winner, has withdrawn from Sunday’s London Marathon due to a hip issue.
As part of his training, the six-time world champion won the Big Half, a half-marathon event, in London earlier this month.
Farah of Britain commented that it is “very upsetting” and that he has tried his hardest to compete, but “it hasn’t been enough.”
Farah stated, “I’ve been working extremely hard at my training over the previous several months, and I’d gotten myself back into decent condition. So I was feeling quite optimistic about being able to put in a solid performance.
“I have, however, been experiencing right hip discomfort and stiffness for the last ten days. I’ve had considerable physiotherapy and treatment, and I’ve done all I can to be at the starting line, but Sunday’s competition is still out of the question.”
He continued by expressing his disappointment at not competing in front of home fans and his ambition to compete again in the event in April 2023.
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Farah has competed in three London Marathons and was a pacemaker in the elite-only race in 2020. His best performance in the London Marathon came in third place in 2018.
His winning time in the 2018 Chicago Marathon, his lone marathon triumph, was a British record at 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 11 seconds.
The London Marathon’s event director, Hugh Brasher, said: “We really apologize that Mo can’t race on Sunday. We wish him a very quick recovery and hope to see him participate in the April 2023 London Marathon.”
After spending three years concentrating on the marathon, Farah returned to the track in 2020 but could not qualify for the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2016.
He was also unexpectedly defeated by club runner Ellis Cross in the London 10,000 in May, his first race in 11 months.