London Marathon: Mo Farah to be pacemaker in race featuring Eliud Kipchoge

Briton Mo Farah will be the pacemaker for the elite men’s race at October’s rescheduled London Marathon.

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who won last year’s event, leads the men’s field with Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia.

Reduced fields of 30-40 athletes will also compete for the elite women’s and wheelchair titles on 4 October.

The races will take place on a bio-secure closed course amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“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,” said Farah, who finished third in 2018 and fifth last year.

“I am in good shape. I’ll be in London that week and it fits in with my training.”

Ethiopians Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun, who finished runner-up and third respectively in 2019, are among eight athletes who have run marathons in under two hours five minutes.

Brigid Kosgei of Kenya heads up the women’s elite field alongside compatriot and world champion Ruth Chepngetich.

Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje and Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot, Valary Jemeli and Degitu Azimeraw are the other picks of the line-up.

The full elite wheelchair fields will be released next week.

The route will consist of laps of about 1.5 miles, taking in The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Birdcage Walk and Buckingham Palace.