London - Somali-born British runner Mohamed Farah was given an unwelcome birthday surprise when he was robbed at his hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last month. The incident put a damper on what he said had been an otherwise perfect preparation for Sunday's London Marathon.
Farah, third last year in his home city marathon, is facing a monumental challenge to overcome Kenya's world record holder and defending champion Eliud Kipchoge.
Farah said he had completed a really good block of training in Ethiopia.
"I couldn't have asked for better," he said. "There were just a couple of things."
Asked to expand, the multiple Olympic and world champion over 10,000m and 5,000m on the track, said: "There was a problem at the hotel. Someone went into my bag and took some money and took a present my wife had got me (a watch), so that was disappointing when I'd been staying there so long.
"It was on my birthday," added Farah, who turned 36 on March 23 and won the Chicago Marathon last year.
He will be centre of attention for the home crowd. Yet, he is only the eighth-fastest man in the field and his best of 2:05.11 is almost four minutes adrift of Kipchoge's - which would leave him almost a mile behind the Kenyan if they were to reproduce those times on Sunday.
Kipchoge set his astonishing world record of 2:01.39 when winning Berlin last year and is seeking an unprecedented fourth London triumph.
He told a news conference that he had not raced since Berlin and had followed his usual preparation - a system that has served him well in a career that has seen him win 10 of his 11 marathons, including the 2016 Olympic Games.
"I like London, I'm fit and ready to compete," he said, adding that he was still in discussions regarding what pace he will ask the pacemakers to set.
Farah said he fully respected Kipchoge's talent and extraordinary record but added that he was learning all the time, having switched to the roads in 2017 and was not turning up "expecting to finish third or fourth".
"You look up to these guys, you have to learn from the best and I have learned from each race I've done," Farah said.
"I think I could have gone 2.04-something in Chicago (where he set a European record of 2:05:11) but it was about winning the race." - Reuters
Theft 'spoils' Farah's London preparation
Image: Joe Maher/Getty Images
London - Somali-born British runner Mohamed Farah was given an unwelcome birthday surprise when he was robbed at his hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last month. The incident put a damper on what he said had been an otherwise perfect preparation for Sunday's London Marathon.
Farah, third last year in his home city marathon, is facing a monumental challenge to overcome Kenya's world record holder and defending champion Eliud Kipchoge.
Farah said he had completed a really good block of training in Ethiopia.
"I couldn't have asked for better," he said. "There were just a couple of things."
Asked to expand, the multiple Olympic and world champion over 10,000m and 5,000m on the track, said: "There was a problem at the hotel. Someone went into my bag and took some money and took a present my wife had got me (a watch), so that was disappointing when I'd been staying there so long.
"It was on my birthday," added Farah, who turned 36 on March 23 and won the Chicago Marathon last year.
He will be centre of attention for the home crowd. Yet, he is only the eighth-fastest man in the field and his best of 2:05.11 is almost four minutes adrift of Kipchoge's - which would leave him almost a mile behind the Kenyan if they were to reproduce those times on Sunday.
Kipchoge set his astonishing world record of 2:01.39 when winning Berlin last year and is seeking an unprecedented fourth London triumph.
He told a news conference that he had not raced since Berlin and had followed his usual preparation - a system that has served him well in a career that has seen him win 10 of his 11 marathons, including the 2016 Olympic Games.
"I like London, I'm fit and ready to compete," he said, adding that he was still in discussions regarding what pace he will ask the pacemakers to set.
Farah said he fully respected Kipchoge's talent and extraordinary record but added that he was learning all the time, having switched to the roads in 2017 and was not turning up "expecting to finish third or fourth".
"You look up to these guys, you have to learn from the best and I have learned from each race I've done," Farah said.
"I think I could have gone 2.04-something in Chicago (where he set a European record of 2:05:11) but it was about winning the race." - Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos