Callum Hawkins ready to battle Mo Farah in future marathons
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 06/08/17 3:55pm
Great Britain's Callum Hawkins says he is relishing the chance to battle Sir Mo Farah in the marathon from next year, after finishing an impressive fourth at the World Championships in London.
The Scot equalled the best-ever finish by a British man in the event, and the best in 22 years since Peter Whitehead's performance in Gothenburg with his display on Sunday.
The 25-year-old, ninth at last year's Olympics in Rio, clocked a personal best two hours 10 minutes and 17 seconds as he crossed the finish line at Tower Bridge 26s off bronze.
Hawkins' sense of slight frustration at missing out on a medal is a clear sign of his confidence - and he is determined to give Farah a run for his money when the 10-time global track champion takes to the roads full-time.
"Hopefully he'll be seeing my back," he joked.
"He's a quality athlete and hopefully it'll be a good head-to-head."
Kenya's Geoffrey Kirui took victory on the course in two hours 8 minutes and 27 seconds, Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola claimed silver and Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania.
"I was wanting to maybe sneak a medal and to actually see it as I was finishing was a bit tough," Hawkins said. "But I gave it my all and I couldn't ask for anything more performance-wise.
"I knew I could be close to a medal, but there are some quality athletes. Usually the big guys don't quite turn up, but they all turned up."
Hawkins finished strongly, picking athletes off late in the race after deciding not to go with the leaders when they made a move at the halfway point.
"I should have maybe held them a bit closer when that big move went, but it was a huge move," he continued.
"But if I had I would have been almost walking towards the end."
