Page 95 - 2018 Powerlist

Sir Mo Farah World Championships and went on to scoop double gold at Sport

Olympic champion, 5,000m, 10,000m the 2016 Rio Olympics. His victories in Brazil made him the
first British man, and only the second man ever, to hold the
Olympic and World 10,000m and 5,000m titles.
Britain’s greatest distance runner, Mo Farah, was formally Mo’s achievements are a far cry from his humble
recognised for his achievements with a Knighthood in the beginnings in Somalia. He was born in Mogadishu, but
New Year’s Honours List. left for Britain when he was just eight. He arrived in the UK
There had long been calls for the athlete to be made speaking very little English.
a ‘Sir’ since he wowed the crowds at the London 2012 Mo, 33, grew up in west London and started running at
Olympics. He made history at the event by winning the school where his potential was spotted by his PE teacher.
double of Great Britain’s first ever 10,000m gold, as well as In August, he returned to the London Stadium to
the 5,000m title. defend his 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the World
Two years later he won gold again in the 10,000m at Championships. Mo won gold in the 10,000m and silver in
the 2014 European Championships, becoming the most the shorter event.
successful individual in the history of the competition. He After the championships, he confirmed that he was
had previously won the double gold for the 5,000m and retiring from track athletics and would seek to establish
10,000m races in 2010. himself on the road, with a view to competing in the
In 2015 he repeated the long-distance double at the London Marathon again.

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