By Alex Spink
Farah claimed gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m – just as he did at London 2012 – to complete the set of medals for his kids
When Usain Bolt spoke of ‘mission accomplished’ he referred to the Triple-Triple and his place in sporting immortality.
In the case of his great pal Mohamed Farah it meant finding presents for two of his kids.
Twins Amani and Aisha already had a gold medal each from of his London Olympic campaign, oldest daughter Rhianna and son Hussein did not.
So his first thought when crossing the line to add 5,000m victory to his extraordinary 10,000m triumph of a week earlier, was not for himself.
Not his place in history as the only man other than Lasse Viren to complete the Olympic long-distance double-double.
Not the fact he became the first British track and field athlete ever to win four gold medals.
It was that he had avoided a difficult conversation at home in years to come by bagging a golden gong for each of his children.
“I’ve got the medal for Hussein and Rihanna has hers,” he smiled. “I’ve done what I needed to do. I’ve done my job and I feel satisfied.”
Any parent who spends time working away from home will empathize with Farah’s situation. There is a guilt involved at missing out on family life.
That is the single biggest reason the man soon to be known as Sir Mo confirmed yesterday that he intends to hang up his track spikes next summer and turn to marathon running instead.
“Some say to me I should continue on the track but it’s what’s you feel inside,” he said. “When I line up for a race I’m in the tunnel, I close out everything.
“All you can see is ahead and not beyond. That’s what drives me and why I’ve become successful and won medals.
“But at times it’s hard and the light turns off as you miss your family, you miss your kids, you want to have a normal life.
“That’s the only one thing that really gets me down or makes me think twice about what I do.
“For now it’s all worth it. I’m still hungry, I want to continue. I enjoy what I do, I enjoy having pain and putting the miles in and continuing to work hard. That’s who I am.
“I want to continue winning medals and making my nation proud. I owe it to the public and the people to turn up for London next year. What happens after that I owe to my kids and my family.”
A week after picking himself off the floor mid-race to win the 10,000m, Farah was imperious in putting his 5,000m rivals to the sword.
That led to calls for him to be knighted, an idea he rather likes the sound of.
“To be in the same category as Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Steve Redgrave would be amazing,” he said. “Knowing where I grew up, where I come from, the journey I have taken.
“I didn’t even dream of becoming Olympic champion, let alone four times.”
Source: Mirror
