St Mary's Alumnus Wins Gold and Breaks Olympic Record

Alumnus of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, Mo Farah has won the Gold medal in the Men’s 10,000m and broke a Team GB record by becoming the first athlete to win three Track and Field Gold Medals. Mo, who has already completed a history triple double of Gold Medals at the World Championships, completed the men’s 10,000m on Sunday morning in a sprint finish in a time of 27:05.17 to defend his Olympic title. He put in a strong performance throughout the race, despite tripping with 10 laps to go. He now looks ahead to competing in the heats of the Men’s 5000m on Wednesday. Director of Sport Andrew Reid-Smith said, “Even after being tripped Mo was able to compose himself and retain his Olympic 10,000m title to become the first British athlete to win three Gold medals on the track. Mo has now remained unbeaten in the 10,000m for five years at major competitions and If he wins the 5000m he'll become the first person since Lasse Viren to retain two Olympic distance titles.” St Mary’s has a proud history of Olympic and Paralympic success. The University’s sporting alumni have already secured four medals at Rio 2016 and include Mo Farah, the London 2012 double gold medallist and GB’s best ever distance runner, Rebecca Romero, an Olympic medallist in two different sports rowing and cycling making her one of GB’s greatest ever Olympians, and Moe Sbihi, London 2012 Bronze Medallist and World Champion Rower. Dave Weir, winner of four gold medals at the London Paralympics, trains at St Mary’s using the world-class facilities and support services. As part of St Mary’s contribution to the London Games the University supported athletes from ten different nations and provided Pre Games Training Camps for China, South Africa, Japan and Ireland.  Based on London 2012 medals won St Mary’s finished sixth, the highest placed London institution, in Podium’s league table for universities. Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and President of the IAAF, opened St Mary’s latest sports facilities.  International athletes competing at the Games used these facilities, which continue to provide a sporting legacy for students, staff and local community alike.