London: It became the image of London 2012: Mo Farah crossing the finish line, arms outstretched, eyes wide in disbelief as he won his second gold. Now, as he prepares for Rio de Janeiro and what will almost certainly be his final Olympics, Farah is hoping to repeat his success and win both the 5,000m and 10,000m – a feat that would make him Britain’s greatest athlete. “I remember when London got the bid [in 2005]. I stopped at a garage to watch the news,” says Farah, 33, who was born in Somalia to British-Somali parents, and moved to London when he was eight.
“For seven years I dreamt of winning. And then it does happen, and you’re not dreaming.
“To win double Olympic gold again would be incredible.”
Farah became a national hero after the London Games, and admits he was not prepared for how his life would change – when at home in London, he cannot even go to the supermarket without being stopped for selfies.
“I’ve become someone else, really. Everything I do and say is different now.”