Doha Marathon: Mo Farah ready for half-marathon test

Britain’s Mo Farah, Chris Thompson and Gemma Steel will be among those in action when the Ooredoo Doha Marathon programme of events takes place on Friday [January 12].

All three will be contesting the half-marathon, with 10-time global track gold medallist Farah continuing his road race journey in Qatar as he works toward running his second marathon in London in April.

“I am really looking forward to opening my 2018 season in Doha,” said Farah, who is also set to tackle the new race The Big Half in London in March.

“I am looking forward to the event, as a chance to test myself on the fast and flat run along Doha and also to hopefully check out the city.

“I also look forward to running alongside my fellow elite athletes and spending time with amateur athletes and spectators at the marathon,” Farah added. “Doha is a truly international city, and that makes for a great atmosphere and overall experience.”

It will be Farah’s first race under his new coach Gary Lough and other athletes entered for the race include Germany’s Arne Gabius, Bekir Karayel of Turkey, Ayad Lamdassem of Spain, Michael Shelley of Australia and Daniele Meucci of Italy, plus Ryan Vail and Abdi Abdirahman of the United States.

Steel has been training in Doha with Eilish McColgan under the guidance of Liz McColgan-Nuttall, with the world and Olympic medallist-turned coach recently commenting that her charge is “gaining confidence again on the track”.

Source: AW