Mohammed Farah
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| Medal record | |||
[[Image: |Center|100px]]Mohammed Farah |
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Competitor for  Great Britain |
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|---|---|---|---|
| European Championships | |||
| Silver | 2006 Göteborg | 5000 m | |
Mohammed "Mo" Farah (Arabic: محمد فرح) (born 23 March 1983 in Mogadishu, Somalia) is a British international track and field athlete.
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[edit] Biography
Farah arrived in Britain in 1993 from Mogadishu as a refugee, speaking barely a word of English. Physical Education teacher Alan Watkinson saw Farah's talent, and in return for 30minutes of football in the gym, Farah would attend a local running club. In 1996, Farah entered the English schools cross country at the age of 13, finishing ninth. The following year he won the first of five English school titles.[1]Mo Farah has revealed a well-timed pep talk from a certain pregnant marathon runner helped spur him on to European 5,000m silver last August.His thrilling run in Gothenburg was the best performance by a British male track athlete in 2006 and a significant breakthrough for the 23-year-old.Farah was already in form - a month earlier he clocked 13 minutes 09.40 seconds to become Britain's second-fastest runner over 5,000m behind Dave Moorcroft.When he arrived in England, Farah's talent was seen straight away by PE teacher Alan Watkinson. "Alan was a big part of my career," the 20-year-old told BBC Sport after completing a training session with a group of promising athletes from his old school, Isleworth and Syon.Watkinson himself told the BBC website: "It was obvious from the beginning that he was talented." Success in athletics wasn't always Farah's dream. In his early teens all he wanted to do was play football.But, ironically, it was his love for football that brought him closer to athletics. Watkinson would offer Farah the incentive of playing football for 30 minutes in the gym before taking him to the running club.In 1996, Farah entered the English schools cross country at the age of 13. He finished ninth.A year later, Watkinson said: "Win this year and I'll buy you a football shirt." Farrah did, and went on to amass five English school titles. His first major title was at the European Junior Championships in 2001. Coaches Alan Storey and Mark Rowland made sure that Farah remained competive and a few words from Paula Radcliffe before the 5000m final in the European Championships really inspired Farah. "She said to me, 'Go out and be brave. Just believe in yourself'," Farah said after his thrilling race.The marathon star had encountered Farah before, giving him money to go towards his training. In 2005, Farah made a important move, literally, moving in with Australian Craig Mottram and a group of Kenyan runners that included 10,000m 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," he 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." Meanwhile, his old PE teacher often uses Farah as an example to talented young sportsmen and sportswomen. Said Watkinson: "Mo's story shows that if you have the talent and you put in effort, this is what can be achieved."
Based in London and running for Newham and Essex Beagles athletics club, Farah won first major title at the European Junior Championships in 2001. On the track, he now competes mainly over 5000 metres (where he came sixth in the 2007 World Athletics Championships[2]); but also over 3000 metres and occasionally 1500 metres. He also competes in cross-country running, where in December 2006 he became European champion in Italy.[3]
[edit] Achievements
- 2006 European Cross Country Championships - Gold Medal[3]
- 2006 European Championships in Athletics - silver medal (5000 m)
- 2006 Commonwealth Games - ninth place (5000 m)
- 2005 European Indoor Athletics Championships - sixth place (3000 m)
- 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics - tenth place (5000 m)
[edit] Personal bests
- 800m - 1:48.69 (2003)
- 1500m - 3:38.02 (2006)
- 1 Mile - 3:56.49 (2005)
- 2000m - 5:06.34 (2006)
- 3000m - 7:38.15 (2006)
- 2 Miles - 8:20.47 (2007)
- 5000m - 13:07.00 (2007)
- 5k Roadrace - 13:30 (2006)
- 10k Roadrace - 28:07 (2007)
- 10Mile Roadrace - 48:59 (2005)
- Cross-Country4K - 11:27 (2006)
- Cross-Country6K - 19:12 (2000)
- Cross-Country8K - 24:37 (2000)
- Cross-Country10K - 27:56 (2006)
- Cross-Country12K - 37:31 (2007)
[edit] References
- ^ Isaac Fanin Farah stars, with support BBC Sport - March 2007
- ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | World Champs day nine as it happened
- ^ a b Farah storms to European success BBC Sport - 10 December 2006
[edit] External links
IAAF profile for Mohammed Farah
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