Sir Mo Farah

One of the greatest Olympians in Britain’s history, Mo Farah is a long-distance runner who has won four Olympic gold medals. Predominantly competing in the 5,000m and 10,000m distances, Mo’s double gold-winning victories at the London Olympics in 2012 have gone down in history as one of the most iconic sporting moments of all time. Since then, Mo has become a national treasure, with his big smile, humble personality and remarkable life story making him loved everywhere he goes. This has made him a popular choice of athletics speaker, able to attend events across the country and share his sporting story.

While it was believed that Mo moved to the UK with his parents as a child, in 2022 he decided to reveal the truth. In fact, Mo was illegally trafficked to Britain from Somaliland due to the civil war in the nation. His birth name was actually Hussein Abdi Kahin, and he was given the name Mo Farah by the smugglers. For the first few years of his life in the UK, he was not allowed to leave the house and was forced to work as a servant for those who smuggled him.

Showing immense courage, he made the decision to come out with the full story despite being advised by lawyers that his citizenship could be at risk. In a BBC documentary, he explained what his early life was like, and the trauma he still experiences from it. The news had a huge impact on audiences, with phone calls to human trafficking helplines up by more than 20% as a direct result of Mo’s story. During his speaking occasions, Mo is able to discuss this experience, leaving an impact on audiences every time.

For a time, sport was a place Mo could escape. Dominating junior athletics events, his breakthrough came in 2006 when he won a silver medal at the European Championships in Sweden. Specialising in long-distance running, Mo’s dream was to compete at the Olympic Games. In 2012, the Olympics was hosted in London the city he had called home for many years. On what has since been billed ‘Super Saturday’ due to the number of gold medals won by Britain, Mo’s dream came true when he won the 10,000m gold medal. This was Britain’s first-ever gold medal in the event. A week later he completed an Olympic double by winning gold in the 5,000m. These experiences have earned a place in British sporting history, and at all of his athletics speaking events, he’s able to delve deeper into the greatest moment of his life.

Four years later, he successfully defended his Olympic titles at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, he was unable to qualify for the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and has recently transitioned to focus on marathon running.

If you’d like to hire one of the country’s best athletics speakers to speak at your next event, contact Evolve today. We can facilitate the booking of Mo Farah, ensuring your occasion is a huge success.