Kenenisa Bekele Withdraws From London Marathon

Injury has forced Kenenisa Bekele, the second-fastest runner of all time, to withdraw from the elite men race at this year’s London Marathon.

The Ethiopian ran the quickest marathon in the world last year when he won Berlin Marathon missing the world record by just two seconds with 2:01:41.

Bekele was ready to take on world record holder Eliud Kipchoge but unfortunate a calf injury has forced him to withdraw from the Sunday’s race.

“I am very disappointed that I cannot race on Sunday,” said the 38-year-old runner who has won a staggering 26 gold medals on the world, Olympic and continental stages

“It has been a tough preparation time, with lockdown, when I couldn’t have my NN team around me. I was in good shape but then I picked up a niggle in my left calf after two fast training sessions close together in the last weeks of preparation.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “I have been having treatment every day since then and I truly believed I would be ready, but today it is worse and I now know I cannot race on it.”   [/perfectpullquote]

He continued; “This race was so important to me. My time in Berlin last year gave me great confidence and motivation and I was looking forward to show that again, I have worked so hard for it. I realise many people around the world have been looking forward to this race and I am sorry to disappoint my fans, the organisers and my fellow competitors. I will take time to recover and become fit again and I hope to be back in London next year.”

Hugh Brasher, the event director of the race, was ready to see the world witness the two great runners in the streets of London but has suffered a big blow.

“The world has been waiting to see this head to head between Kenenisa Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge but it will now not happen this Sunday. We know how disappointed he is and we wish him a speedy recovery.

“This was never likely to be just a two-man race as we had four of the top ten fastest marathon runners ever and six men in the field who have broken 2:05, including Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun, second and third last year, and 2018 runner-up Shura Kitata.”