Mo Farah wants Pele to try out the ‘Mobot’

By PAUL HIRST
Published on 18/12/2012 00:00

MO Farah wants Pele to be the next famous person to do the ‘Mobot’.

Farah went home empty-handed from Sunday’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards despite becoming the first Briton in history to claim Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres this summer. The Somalia-born long-distance runner was one of the favourites for the award, but he had to settle for fourth place behind winner Bradley Wiggins, Jessica Ennis and Andy Murray.

Had it been any other year Farah might have expected to win by a landslide. His determination to win two of the hardest Olympic track events and the famous ‘Mobot’ celebration which accompanied both his victories made him a popular, iconic figure of London 2012.

Usain Bolt, Lennox Lewis and Boris Johnson are just three of the many people who have attempted the pose and Farah now wants arguably the greatest footballer of all time to attempt it too. “I’d like a football player to do it, someone like Pele,” the 29-year-old said.

Farah, who was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, but grew up in London, says he retains an immense pride in winning the two gold medals on successive Saturdays during the Games. “As an athlete you dream of becoming an Olympic champion, but to do it like that was something I would have never dreamed of,” he said. “To come back twice and do it in the 5,000 was so difficult because my legs were tired and the other guys were working as a team.

However. Farah, who wants to compete in Rio 2016 – possibly in the marathon – thinks his rivals will now be more determined than ever to beat him.

He said: “This year has been a great year and hopefully 2013 will be the same again for me. As an athlete you have to forget about what you have achieved and you have got to move on.

“There are more people out there who want to beat me now so that’s the way I have got to see it and I have to get back in to serious training again.”