Mo Farah

Sir Mo Farah is a retired British long-distance runner who won four Olympic gold medals and multiple world titles.

Sir Mo Farah is a retired British long-distance runner who won four Olympic gold medals and multiple world titles. Born in Somalia and raised in the United Kingdom, he became one of the most successful distance runners in athletics history. In 2022, he publicly revealed that he had been brought to the UK illegally as a child and that his birth name is Hussein Abdi Kahin.

Early life

Mo Farah was born in Somalia in 1983. Later reporting identified his birth name as Hussein Abdi Kahin, and he has said he was brought to the UK as a child.

Athletic career

Farah became an elite distance runner specialising in the 5,000m, 10,000m and related track events. He achieved major success at the Olympics and World Championships, becoming one of the most decorated male distance runners in history.

Olympic achievements

Farah won both the 5,000m and 10,000m at London 2012 and repeated those victories at Rio 2016. These results made him one of the few athletes to retain both Olympic distance titles.

Honours and recognition

He was appointed CBE in 2013 and received a knighthood in 2017. His achievements have made him a prominent figure in British sport.

Personal story

In 2022, Farah disclosed details of his childhood migration to the UK and his identity history. The account added significant public attention to his life outside athletics.