Yahoo News Mo Farah targets World Championships after finishing 3rd in the 2018 London Marathon
Sir Mo Farah has his sights set on World Championships glory next year following his third-placed finish at the London Marathon.
Farah not only beat Steve Jones' 33-year-old British record with a time of two hours six minutes and 21 seconds, he also proved to himself that he can mix it with the best.
The 35-year-old multiple Olympic and world track medallist may have finished two minutes behind Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who made it a hat-trick of wins following his successes in 2015 and 2016, and runner-up Tola Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.
But with the likes of Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele and last year's winner Daniel Wanjiru of Kenya trailing behind, Farah now knows that with a bit of fine-tuning - not least when it comes to collecting his drinks bottles - he has a real shot at success in Doha 2019.
"As you saw it's all about learning, I did have a few problems getting a drink," he said with a smile.
"But it took me so many years on the track, you don't just do it overnight. Over time I hope to get it right so my aim is to continue.
"If I can run 2:06 at the World Championships, they don't go that quick there. So my aim is maybe in the autumn to try and run another marathon and then see what happens in the summer of 2019.
"My aim is to keep learning, keep bringing my time down and mixing with these guys.
"Forget the time, look who I finished behind. And then there's Kenenisa, Daniel... you wouldn't have put me in the top three."
London Marathon 2018
London Marathon 2018
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Tens of thousands of people took part in the unseasonably warm marathon
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Sir Mo Farah sits on the ground after coming third in the Elite Men's race
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Katie Price ran the marathon dressed as a pair of lungs to show her support for the British Lung Foundation
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A runner uses a shower to cool off during the race
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A runner collapsed at the finish line after completing the grueling 26 mile race
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Amazing image shows marathon runners race across Tower Bridge
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Participants run across tower bridge as boat glides beneath them
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Man douses himself with water during the hottest marathon on record
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The Men's Elite race kicked off at 10 am
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Flying high: This man set off on the race dressed as a butterfly
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Journalist Bryony Gordon and plus size model Jada Sezer run marathon in their underwear to promote body confidence
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Australia's Madison de Rozario appears delighted to win the Women's Wheelchair race
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David Weir (left) in action during the Men's Wheelchair marathon as the sun hits Buckingham Palace
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Sir Mo Farah finishes third in the Men's Marathon after a grueling race
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Britain's David Weir, left, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's wheelchair race
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Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot (centre) celebrates winning the Women's London Marathon alongside second placed Kenya's Brigid Kosgei and third placed Ethiopia's Tadelech Bekele
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Britain's Lily Partridge crosses the finish line in the Women's elite race
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Britain's Mo Farah and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in action during the men's elite race
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The Elite Men reach the halfway point, as seen from Tower Bridge
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Wishful thinking? A fun runner dressed in costume despite warm weather warnings
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Eight legs or two? A man with an octopus outfit during the race
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Experts advised runners not to aim for their personal best as the temperature was expected to rise to 23C
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Caged beast: this runner was on the move in a warm looking outfit
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Participants were offered more water and ice than usual during the race due to the harsh conditions
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Vivian Cheruiyot wins the Elite Women's race, with Buckingham Palace looking glorious in the background
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Welshman Jones may have lost his record, set in Chicago in 1985, but Paula Radliffe's 15-year world mark in the women's marathon remains intact.
Last year's winner Mary Keitany and runner-up Tirunesh Dibaba clearly had Radcliffe's record on their minds but the sweltering conditions proved too much and allowed 34-year-old Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot to claim victory.
Meanwhile, Great Britain's David Weir won the men's wheelchair race for an unprecedented eighth time.
