Mohammed Farah

Mohammed "Mo" Farah ( _ar. محمد فرح)(somali:Maxamed Faarax) (born 23 March, 1983 in Mogadishu, Somalia) is a British international track and field athlete.

Based in London and running for Newham and Essex Beagles athletics club, Farah won his first major title at the European Junior Championships in 2001. On the track, he competes over 5000 metres, where he came sixth in the 2007 World Athletics Championships [cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/6974721.stm | work = BBC website| title = World Championships 2007 Day Nine: As It Happened] ; 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. cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/6166845.stm | work = BBC website |title = Farah storms to European success | date = 2006-12-10]

Biography

Junior career

Farah arrived in Britain in 1993 from Mogadishu as a refugee cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/get_involved/6908213.stm | title = Farah stars, with support| work = BBC website | accessdate=2008-06-23] , speaking barely a word of English. Farah's athletic talent was identified by Physical Education teacher Alan Watkinson. Farah has said of Watkinsonx] : "Alan was a big part of my career". Mo Farah Had Studied and was successful in Physical Education at "Feltham Community College" a school Located in Hounslow London.

Watkinson offered 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.x]

His first major title was at 5000m at the European Athletics Junior Championship in 2001cite web | url = http://www.pacesportsmanagement.com/athlete_profile.asp?id=42 | work = PACE Sports Management | title = FARAH, Mo: Profile | accessdate = 2008-06-23] .

Senior career

In 2005, Farah made a important move 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," 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."x]

In July 2006 Farah clocked a time of 13 minutes 09.40 seconds for 5,000m to become Britain's second-fastest runner after Dave Moorcroft.

A month later Farah collected the silver medal in the European Championship 5,000m in Gothenburg. Coaches Alan Storey and Mark Rowland made sure that Farah remained competive and a few words from Paula Radcliffe before the 5000m final inspired Farah. He has been quoted as sayingx] : "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.x] .

Farah represented the UK at 5000m in the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan. Farah finished sixth in a time of 13:47.54 [cite web | url = http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/gender=M/discipline=5000/combCode=hash/roundCode=f/result.html | work = IAAF Website | title = 2008 World Championship: 5000m Results | accessdate=2008-06-30] .

In May 2008 Farah ran 10000m events, claiming the fastest UK men's time for almost eight years. Farah suffered disappointment at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, being knocked out before the final in the 5000m event.

Achievements

*2005 European Indoor Athletics Championships
** 3000m Sixth place
*2006 European Cross Country Championships
** Gold Medal
*2006 European Championships in Athletics
** 5000m Silver medal
*2006 Commonwealth Games
** 5000m Ninth place
*2007 World Championships in Athletics
** 5000m Sixth place

Personal bests

References

External links

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