1. A focused and self-conscious athlete
At a very young age Mo Farah went to live in a strange country where he did not know well its language and culture. By ups and downs he tried to do his best so that he can achieve his goal. He understood very clearly that success in this life is not guaranteed. It is partly dependent on the extent to which he takes himself seriously.
Thanks to the helping hand and the guidance he received from several prominent British people resulted a significant transformation of his life and made him self-conscious and the person he is today. The talents and ability of Mo Farah were no secret to the people around him. His former PE teacher (Alan Watkinson) discovered and realised that he had a particular talent for distance running, and mentored him. Mr. Watkinson was not only one to champion Mo Farah. When he was 17, Paula Radcliffe paid for his driving lessons so that he could travel to training nights. London Marathon race director David Bedford also helped — the London Marathon Charitable Trust funded Mo Farah’s education at St Mary’ University College, Twickenham, and David Bedford introduced Mo Farah to Alberto Salazar, the unique American coach who is the one who has laid the foundation of Mo Farah’s amazing recent progress.
The turning point in Mo Farah’s career was in 2005 when he started to take himself seriously and moved into a house with a group of Kenyans aiming to train at high altitude and to experience their way of life and the way in which they train daily.
He ran 120 miles a week, ate, trained and slept some more, and knocked more than 90 seconds off his European championship 10,000m time.
By 2010 he had won double gold at 5,000m and 10,000m at the European championship, but his time at the longer distance (28min 25sec) was a little bit slower than world record (Ethiopian Bekele). For most of his career Mo Farah has been unable to challenge against the supremacy of the elite of the world’s great distance running countries like Ethiopia and Kenya.
Last year Mo Farah set off again – this time moving his family (his wife Tania, daughter Rihanna, and is expecting twins) to Portland Oregon, USA where Alberto Salazar introduced him to ultra modern athletic techniques (like underwater treadmills and cryogenic chambers) and tried to build up his upper body strength. By self belief and discipline, determination and endurance Mo Farah has shown that he is some who can achieve everything.
It was Unforgettable and personally I had the honour to watch and witness the day in which Mo Farah entered the graced and dignified zone that every athlete dreams of, winning the Olympic Gold Medal of the men’s 10,000m. Unforgettable was also the day in which Mo Farah ran into the record books, becoming the first British distance runner to win the men’s 10,000m with a breathtaking and elegant style! It was truly amazing and the British and Somaliland citizens around the world just fallen off their axis when Mo Farah entered his last lap. Roared and cheered on by more than 80,000 spectators at the beautiful and wonderful London Olympic stadium, Mo Farah’s delight was complete when he turned around after crossing the line and saw his friend and training partner, American Galen Rupp take silver.
2. Mo Farah is proud of his roots:
Mo Farah may have won gold for Britain, has brilliantly outclassed his highly seasoned opponents, enjoying all the attention for being Great Britain’s most revered heroes, but he has not forgotten his origin and birthplace. He is proud of his roots and retains happy memories of Somaliland Republic where he was born. He aims to contribute and improve the living conditions of the disadvantaged but talented young people in Somaliland. In order to achieve these goals, together with his wife Tania, he founded a namesake foundation: Mo Farah Foundation.
According to reliable sources close to the World Champion top athlete Mohamed (Mo) Farah), immediately after successful completion of the London Olympics 2012, he is seriously planning to launch an Athletics Academy in his home town (Gabiley). This Academy will be named after the young and World Champion British-Somalilander Athlete Mo Farah (Mohamed Farah).
According to these sources, Mo Farah is fully determined to help, support and develop the disadvantaged and less fortunate young people in Republic of Somaliland. One of Mo Farah’s inner beliefs is that sport is an important part of every child’s development and he knows like no other how this works.
That is why Mo Farah is seriously considering setting up an Athletics Academy in his home town (Gabiley). This is the only way he would be able to give those disadvantaged young people in Somaliland the best possible foundations to develop and perform from an early age. The proposed Academy will be funded by Mo Farah Foundation and will be named after the young and World Champion British-Somalilander Athlete Mo Farah.
Mo Farah Athletics Academy will be designed for aspiring athletes and unlocking the talents and potential of those young people living in Somaliland Republic who would like to develop their skills and fulfil their potential in athletics (track and field events). According to these sources, Mo Farah Foundation will be involved in many ways to establish the Mo Farah Athletics Academy from the start to completion, in order to pave the way for future success and helping talented athletes in Somaliland achieve their dreams. Mo Farah Athletics Academy’s grassroots schemes will include giving those young people the opportunity to get involved in athletics and other sport facilities not only to keep them active but also to teach them about teamwork, leadership and the desire to perform as best they can.
Last year, Mo Farah visited to his country of origin (Republic of Somaliland), accompanied by his wife (Tania) and daughter (Rihana), where he received a wonderful reception and hospitality from all levels of the people of Somaliland and its government. He said that he was thrilled and just could not describe how he felt honoured for the warm welcome. He said that coming to his birth place has been a heart-warming and unforgettable life time experience.
In September 2011, Mo Farah had the honour to meet with the President of Somaliland Republic Mr. Ahmed M. Mohamud Silaanyo and had received the prestigious Presidential Honours Award from the President of Somaliland Republic. The President congratulated Mo Farah for his inimitable international name and fame, and praised him his inspiring talent and personality for the citizens of Somaliland Republic and the UK in a positive conduct.
May we all wish him a good luck for the remaining contest.
INSHA ALLAH Mohamed FARAH will win the men’s 5,000m
Eng. Hussein Adan Igeh |Hussein Deyr||UK|
