Eilish McColgan, who won her first major title on the track at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, had hoped to see how the injury responded, but confirmed she had not been able to shake off the issue in time to run on Sunday
Friday 21 April 2023 14:23, UK
Eilish McColgan has been ruled out of making her TCS London Marathon debut on Sunday due to a knee injury, event organisers have confirmed.
McColgan delayed her travel to London to give herself the best chance of competing, having announced on Thursday that she had picked up a "niggle" in her knee in the days leading up to the race.
The 32-year-old cancelled her pre-event media conference on Friday morning as she was waiting to see how she responded to treatment before making her final decision on whether or not to compete, and she has now decided to withdraw from the race.
"I was sort of hopeful to be honest," she said. "I have had a bit of knee bursitis back in February, March time and it was something I could run through. But I couldn't run through this. I've tried, trust me, but it has just got to the point where it is not going to be feasible to run a marathon this weekend.
"There have been a few factors that have come together like a bad storm in the past three weeks and the knee issue has been the final crack in the armour. I'm disappointed and know I'm ready to run a good marathon. That is what makes it hard to not be there on the start line.
"As an athlete, I wanted to compete, but I'm a firm believer these things happen for a reason. There will be another London Marathon in my future where, hopefully, I will be able to perform well."
McColgan won the Big Half last September and broke her own British half-marathon record to win the Berlin Half Marathon earlier this month, but now misses the London Marathon for the second successive year due to injury.
The Scot, who claimed 10,000m gold in last summer's Commonwealth Games and whose mother Liz won the London Marathon in 1996, had also planned to run October's race before being ruled out of the event due to a medical issue.
Defending champion Yelamzerf Yehualaw, world record holder Brigid Kosgei, Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir and Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan - who is making her marathon debut - are all set to feature on Sunday.
Sir Mo Farah has warned about the possibility of tears on Sunday after confirming the London Marathon will be his last at the 26.2-mile distance.
Farah missed October's event with a hip injury and finished seventh in a 10km event in Gabon earlier this month, although the four-time Olympic gold medallist feels his training game has gone well ahead of his final London Marathon appearance.
"Sunday will probably be my last marathon in terms of just being realistic," Farah said. "It will be my last marathon. It won't be my last race but in terms of marathon, the London Marathon will be my last.
"I started the mini-marathon here so for me it will be quite emotional. I remember [when I was] 14 years old, I was here watching great athletes running on the Sunday and I was here taking part in the mini-marathon.
"The support, the people coming out in London, I think that will get to me but I will try not to think about it and run. After the race maybe there might be a bit of tears and emotion."
