Mo Farah was supposed to be defending his Olympic titles in the 5,000m and 10,000m this summer after performing a u-turn on his decision to retire from the track and focus on marathon running.
He will still get the opportunity in Tokyo next summer, though, so here we take a look at how he achieved his first and most famous double-haul.
London 2012 – 10,000m
Having just missed out on claiming the 10,000m title at the World Championships in Daegu the previous year, hopes were high that Farah could go one step further in his home stadium. In relative terms, it wasn’t the fastest of races but this seemed to suit Farah fine as he stayed safely in the pack until he pushed into third with five of the 25 laps to go. Farah didn’t hit the front until there was 500m to go but from there he never looked back, the volume of the London crowd rose, and Farah pushed himself to victory with a finishing canter.
The race took place just after Jessica Ennis had taken gold in the heptathlon and Greg Rutherford had secured his long jump gold in the early stages of the race. Mo Farah perhaps gave Great Britain its defining moment at the London Olympics as he provided the crowning glory for what became known as “Super Saturday.”
London 2012 – 5,000m
Farah didn’t stop there, however, and entered the 5,000m final at the reigning World Champion with expectations at fever pitch following his seminal victory in the 10,000m. Farah himself had expressed doubts about his energy levels following those heroics, but he still found the reserves of energy necessary to drag himself to another gold. Again he waited until the closing stages to make his move, pushing to the front of the pack at the start of the final lap as the bell rang. For a moment on the final bend, it seemed his legs might be been fading but a cauldron of noise provided the momentum he needed to claim his second Olympic gold in a time of 13 minutes 41.66 seconds.
The cultural impact of the London Olympic games is hard to overstate, with Britain’s success as hosts and on the track and field cultivating a shared sense of national pride. The 2012 Olympics remain a cultural touchstone with board games, video games and themed slots still created in tribute to the iconic event on various online casinos, about which you can find more information at CasinoWings. Mo Farah’s achievements are central to this story and to the legacy of the London Olympics, helping to inspire a new generation towards their athletic dreams as well as fostering an emphasis on fitness and health.
Born in Somalia, Mo Farah moved to the UK at the age of eight and found his passion for running through the encouragement of his English sports teacher (who went on to be his Best Man at his 2010 wedding). Farah’s success at the London Olympics as a Muslim immigrant represented a success story for a modern and diverse Britain. His lasting legacy from London 2012 will be to have inspired people of all backgrounds and cultures to chase their sporting dreams. And, of course, the Mobot.
