Mohammed Farah
Encyclopedia
Mohammed "Mo" Farah is a Somalia
-born British
international track and field
athlete. On the track, he generally competes over 5000 metres
and 10,000 metres, but also runs the 3000 metres
and occasionally the 1500 metres
. He holds the European track record for 10,000 metres, the British road record for 10,000 metres, the British indoor record in the 3000 metres, the British track record for 5000 metres and the European indoor record for 5000 metres. In July 2010, Farah won Britain's first-ever men's European gold medal at 10,000 m. He followed this with a gold in the 5000 m, becoming the 5th male athlete to complete the long-distance double at the championships and 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.
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 metres in both the 2009 and 2011 European 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 to Oregon
, USA, in order to further his training. He is an ambassador for Bupa
, Lucozade
Sport and Nike
. Farah was voted 2011 European athlete of the year from twelve nominees, with Christophe Lemaitre
in second place.
, Somalia
. He grew up in Djibouti
, and arrived in Britain aged 8 years old, speaking barely a word of English. Farah's father, on the other hand, was born in England
and grew up in Hounslow
. His parents met after his father went on holiday to Somalia.
Farah attended Feltham Community College
in London. His athletic talent was identified by physical education
teacher Alan Watkinson at Isleworth and Syon School
, 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. His ambitions consisted of playing on the right wing for Arsenal. Watkinson would offer Farah the incentive of playing football for 30 minutes in the gym before taking him to the running club.
In 1996, at the age of 13, Farah entered the English schools cross country and finished ninth. The following year he won the first of five English school titles.
His 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.
and a group of Kenya
n runners that included 10,000 metres world number one Micah Kogo
. "They sleep, eat, train and rest, that's all they do but as an athlete you have to do all those things. Running with Craig made me feel more positive," Farah said. "If I ever want to be as good as these athletes I've got to work harder. I don't just want to be British number one, I want to be up there with the best."
In July 2006, Farah clocked a time of 13 minutes 9.40 seconds for 5000 m to become Britain's second-fastest runner after Dave Moorcroft. A month later Farah collected the silver medal in the European Championship 5000 m in Gothenburg
. Coaches Alan Storey and Mark Rowland
made sure that Farah remained competitive and a few words from Paula Radcliffe
before the 5000 m final inspired Farah. He has stated that: "She said to me, 'Go out and be brave. Just believe in yourself'."
In December 2006, Farah won the European Cross Country Championship
in San Giorgio su Legnano
, Italy
.
Farah represented the UK at 5000 m in the 2007 World Championships
in Osaka
, Japan
. Farah finished sixth in a time of 13:47.54.
In May 2008, Farah ran 10,000 m events, claiming the fastest UK men's time for almost eight years. However, he suffered disappointment at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, being knocked out before the final in the 5000 m event.
's record with a time of 7 minutes 40.99 seconds in Glasgow
. A few weeks later he broke his own record by more than six seconds with a time of 7 minutes 34.47 at the UK Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, a performance which commentator Steve Cram
called "the best performance by a male British distance runner for a generation". Farah attributed his good form to a spell of winter training at altitude in Ethiopia and Kenya. In March 2009 he took gold in the 3000 m at the European Indoor Championships
in Turin, recording a time of 7 minutes 40.17.
He competed at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
: he was in the leading pack early on in the 5000 metres race
and eventually finished seventh – the best by a European runner. After the championships, he scored a victory in his first road competition over 10 miles, winning the Great South Run
in 46:25 to become the third fastest Briton in spite of strong winds.
Farah was one of the favourites to upset Serhiy Lebid's dominance at the 2009 European Cross Country Championships
. However, Lebid was never in contention as Farah and Alemayehu Bezabeh
were some distance ahead throughout. Farah was overtaken by Bezabeh in the latter stages of the race, leaving the Briton with a second consecutive silver medal at the competition. He did not manage to attend the medal ceremony, however, as he collapsed immediately after the race and needed medical attention. After a close third place behind Edwin Soi
at the BOclassic
, he competed in the short course race at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country. He was the favourite to win and surged ahead to build a comfortable lead. However, he appeared tired in the latter stages and finished third behind British runners Ricky Stevenson and Steve Vernon. Farah again required post-race medical attention and subsequent tests revealed he had low levels of iron and magnesium. He was prescribed supplements for the condition and his high altitude training plans in Kenya were unaffected.
He won the 2010 London 10,000
in late May with a British road record time of 27:44, beating 10K world record holder Micah Kogo
in the process. His success continued the following week at the European Cup 10,000 m
as he improved his track best by nearly 16 seconds, finishing in 27:28.86. He won by a margin of over forty seconds ahead of second placed Abdellatif Meftah
. After training in Africa, he returned to Europe for the 2010 European Athletics Championships. He took the 10,000 metres gold medal, overtaking Ayad Lamdassem
with two laps to go and finishing the race unpressured in a time of 28:24.99. This was Farah's first major title and also the first European gold medal in the event for Great Britain. He then went on to win the 5000 m from Jesus Espana
, becoming only the fifth man in the 66-year history of the European Championships to achieve the 5000 m/10,000 m double, and the first for 20 years, following in the footsteps of the Czech Emil Zatopek
in 1950, Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak
of Poland in 1958, Finland’s Juha Vaatainen
in 1971 and Salvatore Antibo
, of Italy, in 1990.
On 19 August 2010, at a Diamond League
meeting in Zurich, Farah ran 5000 m in 12:57.94, breaking David Moorcroft
's long-standing British record and becoming the first ever British athlete to run under 13 minutes.
In December 2010, Farah was named the track-and-field athlete of the year for 2010 by the British Olympic Association. He closed the year at the BOclassic and just missed out on the 10K title, losing out to Imane Merga
in a sprint finish by 0.2 seconds.
to take victory in the long race.
In February 2011, Farah announced that he would be relocating to Portland, Oregon, USA, to work with new coach Alberto Salazar
. On 19 February 2011 in Birmingham, England, he broke the European 5000 m indoor record with a time of 13:10.60, at the same time taking ten seconds off the 29-year-old British indoor record of Nick Rose
.
On 5 March 2011, he won gold in the 3000 metres at the European Indoor Championships
.
On 20 March 2011 he won the NYC Half Marathon in a time of 1:00:23. He and training partner Galen Rupp
had originally planned on running a 10,000 m race in New Zealand, but after it was canceled due to an earthquake and damage done to the track, they entered the half-marathon in New York.
On 3 June 2011, at a Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon
, USA, Farah won the Prefontaine Classic 10,000 m in 26:46.57, setting a new British and European record.
On 22 July 2011, at a Diamond League meeting in Monaco
, he set a new British national record in the 5000 m with a time of 12:53.11. He edged out American Bernard Lagat
to win.
In the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
, in Daegu, South Korea, Farah made a major breakthrough on the world stage by taking the silver medal in the 10,000 m and then the gold in the 5000 m. He became the first British man to win a global title over either distance. Farah had in fact been more strongly fancied to take the 10,000 m title, but was narrowly beaten in a last lap sprint by Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan
. In the 5000 m he overcame Bernard Lagat
, perhaps his major rival, beating him into second place. Following the race, Dave Moorcroft, former 5000 metres world record holder, hailed Farah as "the greatest male distance runner that Britain has ever seen".
, Steve Cram
, Hayley Yelling
, Jo Pavey
, and Swedish steeplechaser Mustafa Mohamed
. He has a six year-old step-daughter, Rihanna. He is a fan of Arsenal Football Club.
+ intermediate split in longer race
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
international track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete. On the track, he generally competes over 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
and 10,000 metres, but also runs the 3000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
and occasionally the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
. He holds the European track record for 10,000 metres, the British road record for 10,000 metres, the British indoor record in the 3000 metres, the British track record for 5000 metres and the European indoor record for 5000 metres. In July 2010, Farah won Britain's first-ever men's European gold medal at 10,000 m. He followed this with a gold in the 5000 m, becoming the 5th male athlete to complete the long-distance double at the championships and the first British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
man to do so. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
, he won silver in the 10,000 m and gold in the 5000 m.
In addition, Farah competes in cross-country running, where in December 2006 he became European champion in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He also took gold in the 3000 metres in both the 2009 and 2011 European Indoor Championships
European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The European Athletics Indoor Championships were held for the first time in 1970, replacing the European Indoor Games which had been held since 1966. Run by the European Athletic Association, the championships took place annually in different cities all over Europe until 1990, when it was changed...
, in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
respectively.
Farah was originally based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and ran for Newham and Essex Beagles
Newham and Essex Beagles
Newham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London...
athletics club, training at St Mary's University College, Twickenham's sports facilities in Strawberry Hill
Strawberry Hill, London
Strawberry Hill is an affluent area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in Twickenham. It is a suburban development situated 10.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It consists of a number of residential roads centered around a small development of shops and serviced by Strawberry...
from 2001 to 2011. In 2011 he relocated to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, USA, in order to further his training. He is an ambassador for Bupa
Bupa
Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...
, Lucozade
Lucozade
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
Sport and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. Farah was voted 2011 European athlete of the year from twelve nominees, with Christophe Lemaitre
Christophe Lemaitre
Christophe Lemaitre is a French sprinter, who specialises in the 100 and 200 metres. He is the French 100 m and 200 m record holder with a time of 9.92 seconds and 19.80 seconds as well as being the first caucasian to break the 10-second barrier in an officially timed event.At...
in second place.
Junior career
Farah was born in MogadishuMogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. He grew up in Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, and arrived in Britain aged 8 years old, speaking barely a word of English. Farah's father, on the other hand, was born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and grew up in Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
. His parents met after his father went on holiday to Somalia.
Farah attended Feltham Community College
Feltham Community College
Feltham Community College is located West London borough of Hounslow. Mrs. Victoria Eadie is the institution's new Headteacher. It is a Specialist Sports College.-Overview:...
in London. His athletic talent was identified by physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher Alan Watkinson at Isleworth and Syon School
Isleworth and Syon School
Isleworth and Syon School is a secondary comprehensive school, with sixth form, for boys aged 11 to 18 years. It is situated on Ridgeway Road, Isleworth, within the London Borough of Hounslow, England. The number of pupils is more than a thousand - up from eight hundred in 1995...
, 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. His ambitions consisted of playing on the right wing for Arsenal. Watkinson would offer Farah the incentive of playing football for 30 minutes in the gym before taking him to the running club.
In 1996, at the age of 13, Farah entered the English schools cross country and finished ninth. The following year he won the first of five English school titles.
His first major title was at 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
at the European Athletics Junior Championship
2001 European Athletics Junior Championships
The 2001 European Athletics Junior Championships was an athletics competition for athletes under-20 which was held at the Stadio Olimpico Carlo Zecchini in Grosseto, Italy from 19 – 22 July 2001. A total of 44 events were contested, 22 by male and 22 by female athletes...
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.
2005–2008
In 2005, Farah made an important move, moving in with Australian Craig MottramCraig Mottram
Craig Mottram is an Australian long distance and middle distance runner.-Biography:Born on 18 June 1980 in Frankston, Victoria, Mottram specialises in the 5000 m event. He attended the prestigious Geelong Grammar School. At 6 feet 2 inches he is unusually tall for a distance runner.Amongst...
and a group of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n runners that included 10,000 metres world number one Micah Kogo
Micah Kogo
Micah Kemboi Kogo is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the 10,000 metres. He is the former world record holder in the 10 kilometres road race event with a time of 27:01, which he lost to countryman Leonard Komon on September 27, 2010...
. "They sleep, eat, train and rest, that's all they do but as an athlete you have to do all those things. Running with Craig made me feel more positive," Farah said. "If I ever want to be as good as these athletes I've got to work harder. I don't just want to be British number one, I want to be up there with the best."
In July 2006, Farah clocked a time of 13 minutes 9.40 seconds for 5000 m to become Britain's second-fastest runner after Dave Moorcroft. A month later Farah collected the silver medal in the European Championship 5000 m in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Coaches Alan Storey and Mark Rowland
Mark Rowland
Mark Robert Rowland is a retired British athlete, who was a bronze medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul....
made sure that Farah remained competitive and a few words from Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
before the 5000 m final inspired Farah. He has stated that: "She said to me, 'Go out and be brave. Just believe in yourself'."
In December 2006, Farah won the European Cross Country Championship
2006 European Cross Country Championships
The 13th European Cross Country Championships were held at San Giorgio su Legnano in Italy on 10 December 2006. Mohammed Farah took the title in the men's competition, while Tetyana Holovchenko won the women's race.-Men individual 9.95km:...
in San Giorgio su Legnano
San Giorgio su Legnano
San Giorgio su Legnano is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 km northwest of Milan....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Farah represented the UK at 5000 m in the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Farah finished sixth in a time of 13:47.54.
In May 2008, Farah ran 10,000 m events, claiming the fastest UK men's time for almost eight years. However, he suffered disappointment at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, being knocked out before the final in the 5000 m event.
2009–2010: British records and European champion
In January 2009, Farah set a new British indoor record in the 3000 metres, breaking John MayockJohn Mayock
John Paul Mayock is a British middle distance runner. He has competed at three Olympic Games, at the 1996 games in Atlanta and the 2000 games in Sydney in the 1500 m and at the 2004 games in Athens in the 5000 m...
's record with a time of 7 minutes 40.99 seconds in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. A few weeks later he broke his own record by more than six seconds with a time of 7 minutes 34.47 at the UK Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, a performance which commentator Steve Cram
Steve Cram
Stephen "Steve" Cram MBE is a British retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in the 1500 metres, 2000 metres and the mile during a...
called "the best performance by a male British distance runner for a generation". Farah attributed his good form to a spell of winter training at altitude in Ethiopia and Kenya. In March 2009 he took gold in the 3000 m at the European Indoor Championships
European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The European Athletics Indoor Championships were held for the first time in 1970, replacing the European Indoor Games which had been held since 1966. Run by the European Athletic Association, the championships took place annually in different cities all over Europe until 1990, when it was changed...
in Turin, recording a time of 7 minutes 40.17.
He competed at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
: he was in the leading pack early on in the 5000 metres race
2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres
The men's 5000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics will be held at the Olympic Stadium on 20 and 23 August-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:...
and eventually finished seventh – the best by a European runner. After the championships, he scored a victory in his first road competition over 10 miles, winning the Great South Run
Great South Run
The Bupa Great South Run is an annual 10 miles road running race which takes place in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. Launched in 1990, it is part of the Great Run series created by former British athlete Brendan Foster...
in 46:25 to become the third fastest Briton in spite of strong winds.
Farah was one of the favourites to upset Serhiy Lebid's dominance at the 2009 European Cross Country Championships
2009 European Cross Country Championships
The 2009 European Cross Country Championships was a continental cross country running competition that was held on 13 December 2009 in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin was selected as the host city in 2007 and the event was the first time that a major European athletics championships took place in Ireland...
. However, Lebid was never in contention as Farah and Alemayehu Bezabeh
Alemayehu Bezabeh
Alemayehu Bezabeh Desta is an Ethiopian-born athlete who represents Spain internationally. He competes in middle- and long-distance running on the track, and also in cross country...
were some distance ahead throughout. Farah was overtaken by Bezabeh in the latter stages of the race, leaving the Briton with a second consecutive silver medal at the competition. He did not manage to attend the medal ceremony, however, as he collapsed immediately after the race and needed medical attention. After a close third place behind Edwin Soi
Edwin Soi
Edwin Cheruiyot Soi is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 and 5000 metres.His earliest honours were team gold medals with Kenya at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 2006 and 2007...
at the BOclassic
BOclassic
The BOclassic is an annual road running competition over the distance of 10 kilometres for men and 5 kilometres for women. It is held on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy. The competition has only elite races, competed between a limited number of runners, but over 10,000 spectators gather in the...
, he competed in the short course race at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country. He was the favourite to win and surged ahead to build a comfortable lead. However, he appeared tired in the latter stages and finished third behind British runners Ricky Stevenson and Steve Vernon. Farah again required post-race medical attention and subsequent tests revealed he had low levels of iron and magnesium. He was prescribed supplements for the condition and his high altitude training plans in Kenya were unaffected.
He won the 2010 London 10,000
London 10,000
Established in 2008, the BUPA London 10,000 is a 10 km run through the roads of St. James's Park, London. The finish is on the mall by Buckingham Palace. It has become one of the most popular, mass participation 10k runs in the United Kingdom. In 2008, over 12,500 runners took part, with 8372...
in late May with a British road record time of 27:44, beating 10K world record holder Micah Kogo
Micah Kogo
Micah Kemboi Kogo is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the 10,000 metres. He is the former world record holder in the 10 kilometres road race event with a time of 27:01, which he lost to countryman Leonard Komon on September 27, 2010...
in the process. His success continued the following week at the European Cup 10,000 m
European Cup 10000m
The European Cup 10000m is an annual 10,000 metres race for European athletes which was first held in 1997. The competition is organised by the European Athletics Association and first began as the European 10000 Metres Challenge after the event was removed from the European Cup programme...
as he improved his track best by nearly 16 seconds, finishing in 27:28.86. He won by a margin of over forty seconds ahead of second placed Abdellatif Meftah
Abdellatif Meftah
Abdellatif Meftah is a French long distance runner.He ran for Morocco at the Pan Arab Games and won a gold medal in the half marathon for his home nation. Transferring his nationality, Meftah represented France at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and finished in 40th place...
. After training in Africa, he returned to Europe for the 2010 European Athletics Championships. He took the 10,000 metres gold medal, overtaking Ayad Lamdassem
Ayad Lamdassem
Ayad Lamdassem is a Moroccan-born long distance runner who competes for Spain internationally.He first arrived in Spain in 2002 as part of the Moroccan contingent for the World University Cross Country Championships, which was being held in Santiago de Compostela that year...
with two laps to go and finishing the race unpressured in a time of 28:24.99. This was Farah's first major title and also the first European gold medal in the event for Great Britain. He then went on to win the 5000 m from Jesus Espana
Jesús España
Jesús España Cobo is a Spanish runner who mostly concentrates on the 3000 and 5000 metres....
, becoming only the fifth man in the 66-year history of the European Championships to achieve the 5000 m/10,000 m double, and the first for 20 years, following in the footsteps of the Czech Emil Zatopek
Emil Zátopek
Emil Zátopek was a Czech long-distance runner best known for winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He won gold in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres runs, but his final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life...
in 1950, Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak
Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak
Zdzisław Ludwik Krzyszkowiak was a Polish athlete, winner of 3000 metre steeplechase at the 1960 Summer Olympics....
of Poland in 1958, Finland’s Juha Vaatainen
Juha Väätäinen
Juha Väätäinen is a former Finnish athlete. He is the winner of the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter gold medals at the 1971 European Championships held in Helsinki. He was the eldest of the successful Finnish runners Lasse Virén, Pekka Vasala, Tapio Kantanen, Martti Vainio, and Kaarlo Maaninka who...
in 1971 and Salvatore Antibo
Salvatore Antibo
Salvatore Antibo is a former long distance runner from Italy.-Career:Antibo was born on February 7, 1962 in Altofonte, within the province of Palermo ....
, of Italy, in 1990.
On 19 August 2010, at a Diamond League
IAAF Diamond League
The Samsung Diamond League is an annual series of track and field meetings held from 2010 onwards, beginning with the 2010 IAAF Diamond League...
meeting in Zurich, Farah ran 5000 m in 12:57.94, breaking David Moorcroft
David Moorcroft
David Robert Moorcroft is a former middle-distance and long-distance runner from England, and former world record holder for 5,000 metres. His athletic career spanned the late-1970s and 1980s. He subsequently served as the Chief Executive of UK Athletics from 1997 to 2007. He was awarded an MBE in...
's long-standing British record and becoming the first ever British athlete to run under 13 minutes.
In December 2010, Farah was named the track-and-field athlete of the year for 2010 by the British Olympic Association. He closed the year at the BOclassic and just missed out on the 10K title, losing out to Imane Merga
Imane Merga
Imane Merga Jida is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the 5000 and 10,000 metres. He won his first world title at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
in a sprint finish by 0.2 seconds.
2011: European and British records, and world medals
On 8 January 2011 at the Edinburgh Cross Country, Farah defeated the top four finishers of that year's European Championships2010 European Cross Country Championships
The 2010 European Cross Country Championships was a continental cross country running competition that took place on 12 December in Albufeira, Portugal. It was the second time that the country hosted the event, building upon the 1997 edition held in Oeiras....
to take victory in the long race.
In February 2011, Farah announced that he would be relocating to Portland, Oregon, USA, to work with new coach Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar is an American marathon runner of the 1980s. Born in Cuba, Salazar emigrated to the United States with his family. They ultimately moved to Wayland, Massachusetts, where Salazar competed in track and field in high school...
. On 19 February 2011 in Birmingham, England, he broke the European 5000 m indoor record with a time of 13:10.60, at the same time taking ten seconds off the 29-year-old British indoor record of Nick Rose
Nick Rose
Nicholas Henry Rose is a former British international track and field athlete. He competed in a variety of middle distance and long distance track events. He is the current European record holder in the 10 kilometre road race, and British record holder in the 4×1 mile relay event. He...
.
On 5 March 2011, he won gold in the 3000 metres at the European Indoor Championships
2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships
The 31st European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France, from 4 to 6 March 2011.A record high of 630 athletes, representing 46 countries, were entered into the three-day competition. Twenty-six track and field events were contested at the...
.
On 20 March 2011 he won the NYC Half Marathon in a time of 1:00:23. He and training partner Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp is an American cross-country and track and field athlete, who competed for the University of Oregon and currently trains under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Oregon Track Club. Rupp competed for his native country in the men's 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
had originally planned on running a 10,000 m race in New Zealand, but after it was canceled due to an earthquake and damage done to the track, they entered the half-marathon in New York.
On 3 June 2011, at a Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, USA, Farah won the Prefontaine Classic 10,000 m in 26:46.57, setting a new British and European record.
On 22 July 2011, at a Diamond League meeting in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, he set a new British national record in the 5000 m with a time of 12:53.11. He edged out American Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
to win.
In the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
, in Daegu, South Korea, Farah made a major breakthrough on the world stage by taking the silver medal in the 10,000 m and then the gold in the 5000 m. He became the first British man to win a global title over either distance. Farah had in fact been more strongly fancied to take the 10,000 m title, but was narrowly beaten in a last lap sprint by Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan
Ibrahim Jeilan
Ibrahim Jeilan Gashu is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres on the track, as well as cross country running...
. In the 5000 m he overcame Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
, perhaps his major rival, beating him into second place. Following the race, Dave Moorcroft, former 5000 metres world record holder, hailed Farah as "the greatest male distance runner that Britain has ever seen".
Personal life
In April 2010 Farah married his longtime partner Tania Nell, in Richmond, London. Other athletes at the wedding included Paula RadcliffePaula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
, Steve Cram
Steve Cram
Stephen "Steve" Cram MBE is a British retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in the 1500 metres, 2000 metres and the mile during a...
, Hayley Yelling
Hayley Yelling
Hayley Higham is a British runner. She is the sister-in-law of fellow British runner Liz Yelling. She married Jamie Higham in 2009....
, Jo Pavey
Jo Pavey
Joanne Pavey is a track and field athlete, competing internationally for Great Britain. She competes mainly in the 5000 metres distance but also on 1500 metres, 3000 metres and 10,000 metres events, and road racing. In 2006 she won silver in the 5000 m in the Commonwealth Games...
, and Swedish steeplechaser Mustafa Mohamed
Mustafa Mohamed
Mustafa Hassan Mohamed is a Somali-Swedish long-distance runner who mainly competes in the 3000 meter steeplechase.-Biography:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Mohamed moved to Sweden at the age of 11...
. He has a six year-old step-daughter, Rihanna. He is a fan of Arsenal Football Club.
Achievements
| Event | Distance | Placing |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 European Indoor Athletics Championships 2005 European Indoor Athletics Championships The 28th European Athletics Indoor Championships were held at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid, the capital city of Spain, from Friday, 4 March to Sunday, 6 March 2005.-Men:... |
3000 m | Sixth |
| 2006 European Cross Country Championships 2006 European Cross Country Championships The 13th European Cross Country Championships were held at San Giorgio su Legnano in Italy on 10 December 2006. Mohammed Farah took the title in the men's competition, while Tetyana Holovchenko won the women's race.-Men individual 9.95km:... |
Gold Medal | |
| 2006 European Championships in Athletics 2006 European Championships in Athletics The 19th European Athletics Championships were held in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 7 August and 13 August 2006. The competition arena was the Ullevi Stadium and the official motto "Catch the Spirit"... |
5000 m | Silver medal |
| 2006 Commonwealth Games 2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site... |
5000 m | Ninth |
| 2007 World Championships in Athletics 2007 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres The men's 5000 metres at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 30 August and 2 September.-Medalists:-Records:Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows.-Schedule:-Results:-Heats:... |
5000 m | Sixth |
| 2009 European Indoor Athletics Championships | 3000 m | Gold medal |
| 2009 World Championships in Athletics 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres The men's 5000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics will be held at the Olympic Stadium on 20 and 23 August-Medalists:-Records:-Qualification standards:-Schedule:-Heats:... |
5000 m | Seventh |
| 2010 European Athletics Championships 2010 European Athletics Championships – Men's 10,000 metres The men's 10,000 metres at the 2010 European Athletics Championships was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 27 July.-Medalists:-Records:-Schedule:-Final:-References:*... |
10,000 m | Gold medal |
| 2010 European Athletics Championships 2010 European Athletics Championships – Men's 5000 metres The men's 5000 metres at the 2010 European Athletics Championships will be held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on 29 and 31 July.-Medalists:-Records:-Schedule:-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Summary:-Final:-References:* *... |
5000 m | Gold medal |
| 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships – Men's 3000 metres The Men's 3000 metres event at the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships was held at March 4 and 5 with the final being held on March 5 at 16:50 local time. -Records:-Heats:First 3 in each heat and 3 best performers advance to the Final... |
3000 m | Gold medal |
| 2011 World Championships in Athletics 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 10,000 metres The Men's 10,000 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 28. There were twenty entrants, with nineteen athletes from twelve countries starting the race.... |
10,000 m | Silver medal |
| 2011 World Championships in Athletics 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 5000 metres The men's 5000 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on September 1 and 4.Jake Robertson of New Zealand was added to the final field at the judges' discretion after twice being pushed in his qualifying race.... |
5,000 m | Gold medal |
Personal bests
| Surface | Event | Time | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Track | 800 m | 1:48.69 | 3 August 2003 | Eton Eton, Berkshire Eton is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The parish also includes the large village of Eton Wick, 2 miles west of the town, and has a population of 4,980. Eton was in Buckinghamshire until... |
| 1500 m | 3:33.98 | 28 July 2009 | Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
|
| One mile | 3:56.49 | 6 August 2005 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
|
| 2000 m | 5:06.34 | 9 March 2006 | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
|
| 3000 m | 7:38.15 | 31 August 2006 | Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... |
|
| Two miles | 8:20.47 | 3 August 2007 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
|
| 5000 m | 12:53.11 | 22 July 2011 | Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
|
| 10,000 m | 26:46.57 | 3 June 2011 | Eugene Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... |
|
| Indoor Track | 1500 m | 3:40.57 | 15 February 2009 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... |
| One mile | 4:00.46 | 17 February 2007 | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
|
| 3000 m | 7:34.47 | 21 February 2009 | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
|
| Two miles | 8:20.95 | 16 February 2008 | Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... |
|
| Road | 10 km | 27:44 | 31 May 2010 | London London 10,000 Established in 2008, the BUPA London 10,000 is a 10 km run through the roads of St. James's Park, London. The finish is on the mall by Buckingham Palace. It has become one of the most popular, mass participation 10k runs in the United Kingdom. In 2008, over 12,500 runners took part, with 8372... |
| 15 km | 43:13+ | 25 October 2009 | Portsmouth Great South Run The Bupa Great South Run is an annual 10 miles road running race which takes place in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. Launched in 1990, it is part of the Great Run series created by former British athlete Brendan Foster... |
|
| 10 miles | 46:25 | 25 October 2009 | Portsmouth Great South Run The Bupa Great South Run is an annual 10 miles road running race which takes place in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. Launched in 1990, it is part of the Great Run series created by former British athlete Brendan Foster... |
|
| Half Marathon | 1:00:23 | 20 March 2011 | New York City Half Marathon New York City Half Marathon The New York City Half Marathon is an annual half marathon road running race. It passes through famous landmarks such as Central Park and Times Square. The 5th annual race took place on March 21, 2010, with 11,604 finishers and victories by Peter Kamais and Mara Yamauchi... |
+ intermediate split in longer race
External links
- Official Site
- Guardian article by Steve CramSteve CramStephen "Steve" Cram MBE is a British retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in the 1500 metres, 2000 metres and the mile during a...
- Mo Farah's Rising Star profile on spikesmag.com
- In-depth article from Independent