Sir Mo Farah says that turning his attention to running marathons has helped get his mojo back.

The four-time Olympic champion, one of Great Britain’s most decorated athletes, turned his back on the track after the 2017 World Championships to concentrate on long-distance road running.

It did not take him long to make a mark as he took the British record by finishing third in last year’s Virgin Money London Marathon and then claimed the European record in winning in Chicago in October.

The build-up to the race was further overshadowed on Friday by the announcement that Kenya’s half marathon world record holder Abraham Kiptum had been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit following a biological passport violation and would not compete.

The 29-year-old, who ran 58 minutes 18 seconds to win last year’s Valencia Half Marathon, has left London.

London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said in a statement: “We have a zero-tolerance policy on doping. London is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and we recently announced a groundbreaking extensive intelligence-driven testing programme. This shows the programme is working. Cheats will be caught and there is no place for them in marathon running.”