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Mo Farah, the long-distance runner and four-time Olympic gold medalist, finished in ninth place in his final London marathon, a disappointing end to his career in the city where he first gained national attention. However, the 40-year-old athlete was grateful that he managed to finish the race, owing to the encouragement of the huge crowds that cheered him on along the route. Farah confirmed that he will retire in September after the Great North Run. He expressed his disappointment with his time of 2:10:28, the slowest of his career, but acknowledged that the support from the crowd was crucial to his perseverance.
Farah’s defeat was especially surprising as he was beaten by two British athletes, Emile Cairess and Phil Sesemann, who finished sixth and eighth respectively. Cairess is only 25 years old and has shown great promise as a marathon runner. He qualified for the Paris Olympics with his time of 2:08:07 in this race. Sesemann is a junior doctor who combines his running with his medical career and managed to perform well despite his demanding work schedule.
Farah started well but struggled after the 14-mile mark, with his legs becoming heavy and his pace slowing down considerably. Cairess overtook him just after Tower Bridge, marking a change in the guard in the sport. Farah admitted that his body did not respond as he had expected and that it was time for him to retire from the sport.
The London Marathon event director, Hugh Brasher, expressed his delight that the day passed without incident despite fears that protestors might disrupt the race. The event attracted a record 48,200 finishers, and organisers raised over £60m for charity. Brasher hailed the day as a remarkable success in both the men’s and women’s elite fields.
Although Farah did not have a glorious farewell in his final London marathon, he will be remembered as one of the greatest British athletes in history. He won numerous medals in his career, including four Olympic golds and six World Championship titles, and has left a lasting impact on the sport.
