Aims for Olympic Gold

Mo Farah is the rising athlete whose popularity and success is just becoming apparent. The European champion silver medallist talks about being an athlete. The Somali born, British athlete is competing at senior level for Team Great Britain in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is representing Britain in the 5000m track competition and is believed to be a strong candidate for the Gold Medal in the 2012 Olympics.
       In 1997 Mo became a professional athlete at the age of 17.  Over the next few years he took part in many running competitions including Middlesex County and his own borough Heston. He qualified for England in1999 and went on to compete in the World Youth Cross Country held in Slovenia, where he came sixth. That same year Mo competed in the under 18s European Cross Country held in Poland coming 5th place. At this stage Mo exited the under 18s to compete with the under 20s. Besides qualifying for Great Britain, he loved winning the European 5000 track for under 20s in 2001.  “This was one of the best things I have done since I became an athlete. The whole experience, the response, the crowd at the finishing line, the receiving of the medal on the podium and the national anthem was great and made me feel anything is possible. It is then that I decided I wanted to be a world champion one day.”
       Mo Farah came to live in the United Kingdom in 1993 from Djibouti with his mother and two younger brothers. The family came to join their father who had already been living and working in the UK for many years. When he arrived in the UK, Mo was enrolled in the local primary school in Heston for the first time in his life. “I remember going to Madrasa in Djibouti but had never been to school.” Therefore, Mo was confronted with educational problems at school largely because of the language barrier. He also felt he did not receive the type of support he needed to reach his potential at school. This may have led him to favour sports over academic work.
       The athlete’s running ability was first discovered by his Physical Education teacher Alan Wilkinson. Mo was able to run faster and longer than all his fellow pupils.  Still trying to overcome the language barrier, Mo had no great interest in running at this stage. “I could hardly understand what was being said to me because of my inability to speak the language.” Nonetheless, he found himself in the school running team as well as representing his borough. Although he was good, Mo’s passion lay in football. “I spent most of my spare time playing football against my cousin who then played for Bedford United.” Mo played weekly for Bedford Eagles and found this brought him great happiness. His PE teacher was adamant that Mo had the ability to become a good athlete.  He told Mo several times to join a local running club. The first time Mo quit after a week. His PE teacher then made a deal with him convinced Mo was destined for great things in the world of running. Mo could use the school gym for two days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) a week to play football and then the teacher would drive him to the training grounds afterwards. This appealed to the football mad youth who enjoyed playing indoors instead of the cold fields outside. It was the support that he received from his PE teacher that helped Mo acknowledge and realise his talent for running.

Mo currently lives with his agent in South West London.  He admits that running has required some sacrifices such as postponing the completion of his Sports Science degree to focus on travelling and training and adjust to diets high in protein. Changes had to be made to his social life as well to accommodate his early training sessions. Whilst living with his agent, Mo has met many other prominent East African athletes who he learns and trains with. He particularly looks up to the Moroccan, long distance runner, Heshima Gush. “What I most enjoy about running and being part of the GB team is the travelling.  I have learnt so much during my travels for competitions and trainings. I have met so many people and have learnt about other athletes’ cultures and their way of life” he says. Mo insists he would like to see more talent spotting and support for Somali athletes.  He believes PE teachers should encourage students. In terms of Somali culture he argues that athletes should be taken more seriously.  “I would like to see parents attending their children’s sports days or school plays, anything to encourage and support their children”.  Whilst he is content with his current situation, Mo would like to see more active support from families and the community in general. As what advice he would give to Somali youth, he states “too many times I come across young Somalis who are not making enough effort to improve their lives”.  He encourages them to identify their goals and be more ambitious in pursuing their dreams.•