LONG-DISTANCE legend and multiple Olympics gold medallist Mo Farah will be the cynosure of all eyes during tomorrow’s Middle East Ironman 70.3 Championship near the Avenues Mall.
The 36-year-old British runner arrived in Bahrain last night to a rousing reception along with compatriot and world cycling champion Mark Cavendish.
The duo will be part of the Legends team along with world renowned open water swimmer Chole McCardel of Australia.
The famous trio is sure to add gravitas to the Bahrain Ironman which is already considered the biggest sporting event in the region when they take part in the relay category.
Farah is the most successful British track athlete having won the 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals in successive Olympic Games in London and Rio de Janeiro in 2012 and 2016 respectively.
“I’m delighted to be here in Bahrain and am looking forward to the race,” said Farah, a little tired and jet lagged but his own bubbly self.
Originally from Mogadishu in Somalia, Farah is only the second athlete after another track legend Lasse Virén of Finland to achieve this feat. For good measure, Farah completed the ‘distance double’ in two successive World Championship of Athletics in 2013 and 2015 – a rare feat described as ‘quadruple-double’. He has received the British CBE for his athletic exploits.
Cavendish is an equally accomplished athlete and a recipient of MBE. The 34-year-old, who turned professional in 2005, has won 30 Tour de France stages, second to Belgium’s Eddy Merckx, who tops the list with 34 victories.
The 34-year-old McCardel is also much decorated and her heroics include 29-solo crossings of the English Channel, including eight in one season and three in just a week.
“I am very happy to receive an invitation to be here in Bahrain to participate in the Ironman Middle East 70.3 Championship,” said McCardel, who was the first to touch down on Wednesday.
“It’s a great honour to compete side by side with Mo Farah and Mark Cavendish,” she added.
McCardel is not new to Bahrain as this is her third visit. She was famously part of the coaching staff who trained Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa during his 42km swim from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain a few years ago.