Mohamed "Mo" Farah

Mohamed "Mo" Farah, CBE (born 23 March 1983) is a British long-distance and middle-distance runner. He is the 2012 Olympic, 2011 and 2013 World and 2010, 2012 and 2014 European champion in the 5000 metres, and the 2012 Olympic, 2013 and 2015 World and 2010 and 2014 European champion in 10,000 metres.  On the track, he generally competes over 5000 m and 10,000 m, but also runs the 3000 metres and occasionally the 1500 metres. He made his marathon debut in 2014 in London,  placing eighth, and setting a new English record of 2 hours, 8 minutes, 21 seconds.

Born in Somalia and a naturalised British citizen, Farah is the European record holder for the 1500 m, 10,000 m, half marathon and two miles, the British indoor record in the 3000 m, the British record holder for the 5000 m, the European indoor record holder for 5000 m, and the current indoor world record holder for the two mile.  In July 2010, he won Britain's first-ever men's European Championships gold medal at 10,000 m.  Farah followed this with a gold in the 5000 m, becoming the first British man to do so.  At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, he won silver in the 10,000 m and gold in the 5000 m.  He became double Olympic champion at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, taking gold in both the 5000 and 10,000 metres. He repeated that double at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics, becoming only the second man in history to win a double victory in both the Olympics and World Championships in the distance events. 

In addition, Farah competes in cross-country running, where in December 2006 he became European champion in Italy.  He also took gold in the 3000 m in both the 2009 and 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships, in Turin and Paris, respectively.

Farah was originally based in London and ran for Newham and Essex Beagles athletics club, training at St Mary's University College, Twickenham's sports facilities in Strawberry Hill from 2001 to 2011. In 2011, he relocated some of his training sessions to Portland, Oregon, United States, in order to further his training with coach Alberto Salazar.  His running style has been described as "bouncy" and tactical,  which he has attempted to alter for a more efficient and energy-saving stride pattern, especially in the longer distances.  In September 2014 Mo Farah competed in the Great North Run, a half marathon, and won the race.

Farah has won various accolades for his athletic achievements. In 2011, he was voted European Athlete of the Year,  and won the prize again in 2012.  Farah was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to athletics. In 2013 he won the British Athletics Writers Association British Athlete of the Year award for the fifth time, more than any other athlete in history.[21] His six global titles are three more than any other British athlete (Daley Thompson, Jonathan Edwards, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Christine Ohurougu have three each).   He's also the first British athlete to win two gold medals at the same world athletics championships.  He has won five gold medals at the European Athletics Championships, making him the most successful individual athlete in the history of the competition. 

Early life and education 

Farah was born on 23 March 1983 in Mogadishu, Somalia, but originally hails from Somaliland. He hails from the Isaaq clan and his full name is Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah.[26] He spent the early years of his childhood in Djibouti with his twin brother.  He later moved to Britain at the age of eight to join his father, speaking barely a word of English. His father, Mukhtar Farah, is an IT consultant and a British citizen, who was born in London, England and grew up in Hounslow. Mohamed's parents had met during a holiday. 

Farah attended Feltham Community College in London. His athletic talent was first identified by physical education teacher Alan Watkinson,  who later said of Farah: "When I first met him, he was struggling academically and suffering from the language barrier. He needed focus and I sort of took him under my wing. His passion was football but it was his turn of speed on the pitch that showed his real talent." Farah's ambition was to become a car mechanic or play as a right winger for Arsenal football club.  He later joined the Borough of Hounslow Athletics Club in west London. 

Junior career 

Farah represented Hounslow at cross-country in the London Youth Games.  In 1996, at the age of 13, he entered the English schools cross-country and finished ninth. The following year he won the first of five English school titles.  Recognising his talent, athletics philanthropist Eddie Kulukundis paid the legal fees to complete Farah's naturalisation as a British citizen, allowing Farah to travel to competitions without visa issues. 

Farah's first major title was at 5000 metres at the European Athletics Junior Championship in 2001, the same year that he began training at St Mary's University College, Twickenham. That year Farah became one of the first two athletes in the newly formed Endurance Performance Centre at St Mary’s. He lived and trained at the College, and took some modules in an access course before becoming a full-time athlete as his career progressed.

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