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Britain’s Mo Farah, the multi-gold medallist Olympian and World Championships competitor has taken the job of pacer for some of the top British men racing the 2020 London Marathon, happening Oct. 4.
The 37-year-old appears to have given up on the marathon and will apparently go for more gold in the 5000m and 10,000m events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (2021).
“The London Marathon has been so important to me since I was a schoolboy and when they asked me to do this I thought it would be great to help,” Farah said.
Hugh Brasher, the London race director said that Farah pacing is a “wonderful gesture.”
“I am sure his presence and support will inspire the athletes chasing the Olympic qualifying time.”
Saying this, Farah is likely being paid handsomely for his pacing work.
Who he is pacing
Jonny Mellor, Chris Thompson and first-time marathon runner Ross Millington and Ben Connor will be toeing the line seeking the 2:11:30 Olympic standard.
Thirty-year-old Millington competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 10,000-metre. He owns a best of 27:55.06, while he has run the half-marathon in the time of 62:40 in the 2017 New York Half Marathon.
Thompson has run the marathon as fast as 2:11:19 at the 2014 London race. The 39-year-old owns a half-marathon best of 62:07 from Glasgow 2018.
Connor ran the Barcelona Half Marathon at age 25 in the time of 61:12. His 5000m and 10,000m bests are 13:19.47 and 27:57.60, respectively. Both happened in July last year.
Mellor ran 2:10:05 earlier this year at the Sevilla Marathon, which represents his personal best at the distance. This year will be his fourth running of London. He previously finished in the times of 2:18:48, 2:17:55 and 2:13:25 in 2019.
