Mo Farah, one of the greatest long-distance runners in history, has had a life that has seen him experience a great deal of success, but also a great deal of pain
Sir Mo Farah, a running legend whose life has been as enduring as the marathons he’s conquered, has had many awe-inspiring triumphs and considerable hardship along the way. As the London Marathon approaches this weekend, there will be many on the lookout to see if the Somalia-born British icon makes an appearance.
The memory of Super Saturday at the London 2012 Olympics, where Sir Mo clinched the gold, remains etched in the minds of all who witnessed it. However, those fond of seeing him dash to victory had to come to terms with his retirement announcement in September 2023, following his farewell race at the Great North Run.
Farah’s fascinating story extends well beyond his stunning athletic prowess. Mirror Sport takes a closer look at the British legend’s life.
Shocking childhood revelation
In the summer of 2022, he stunned the world and dominated headlines by revealing his true identity through the profound ‘The Real Mo Farah’ BBC documentary – he had been trafficked into the UK as a child and compelled to labour for a family in Hounslow.
He revealed: “Most people know me as Mo Farah but it’s not my name or it’s not the reality. The real story is I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the UK.
“When I was four my dad was killed in the civil war, as a family, we were torn apart. I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”
In a revealing part of the interview, he shared that the woman who smuggled him into the UK tore up the paper with his family’s contact details, telling him: “If you ever want to see your family again, don’t say anything.”
When the BBC tried to reach out to her for a response, the woman who took in Farah as a youngster declined to respond to the allegations.
Net worth after retirement
After overcoming a tumultuous childhood, Farah emerged triumphant, carving out a spectacular legacy both on and off the running track. His illustrious career led to numerous lucrative endorsements and sponsors.
His partnerships include major brands like Nike, Huawei, BandM, Save the Children, among others, and previous sponsorships included big names such as Lucozade, Bupa, Virgin Media, and Quorn.
At the height of his athletic prowess, it’s believed he was raking in millions pre-tax every years. Considering these earnings and other investments, Celebrity Net Worth estimates his current net worth to be a cool £3.76m.
Racing into a new chapter
With retirement in his rearview mirror, Farah quickly sprinted into his new project – RunGP. This innovative scheme, kicking off its inaugural event in May, is akin to blending marathon running with the thrill of F1 racing.
This team-based road race will take place on F1 tracks. The starting gun for the first race will fire at Doha, Qatar, on May 9th and 10th, taking over the Lusail International Circuit.
Commenting on his thought process, Farah told the Independent: “When I watch athletics, to me, it’s not as exciting as it once was. How do we make athletics exciting? How do we make running exciting? How do you make running this big global event?
“And that’s what we’re trying, in every way. But this idea really is to make this league something that has never been heard of and make history.”
