Now c'mon, you based your post around the insignificance of not holding or hardly ever holding a world record, you even gave tactical examples why Mo hadnt been prolific in the record stakes, but Gebrselassie said exactly the opposite.
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Mo Farah
- Thread starter Blues Rock DJ
- Start date
Now c'mon, you based your post around the insignificance of not holding or hardly ever holding a world record, you even gave tactical examples why Mo hadnt been prolific in the record stakes, but Gebrselassie said exactly the opposite.
Tyrone Biggums
Well-known member
So you have conclusive evidence that the Out of Africa theory is a myth, and not true?
No of course you don't
Either do you, all you'll quote is a theory like I have.
Discoveries in China open up the posibility of the out of africa theory being debatable.
The point is however that through DNA some groups of people are more "British" than others. By a long way.
Corrected for you.
Either?
No, that's not what you did. You didn't say 'there's an alternative theory I believe', you said that the Out of Africa theory has been proven to be a myth. You're wrong, it hasn't been proven to be a myth. Indeed most experts believe it is the correct theory.
That's a much more reasonable view point, I'm all for debating the theory to see if it's correct.
Well that depends on what British means doesn't it. Although a couple of you seem to think it requires British ancestry going back thousands of years, that's only an opinion, not a fact.
It's a fair point for Gabie to raise, but I'm not sure I agree. The WR makes more sense for short sprints, but for the 5,000m and 10,000m your time depends on the effort put in by the rest of the field, so Mo can't beat it without others running quicker. Mo's job is to beat the people next to him and he's done that time and time again. More runners these days like to save a bit for the sprint though, so the pace isn't as high at the start, which makes the WR unobtainable.
The Birdman
New member
Natural athletic ability is an individual thing with very little relation to race. Some times it seems like that but mostly it's down to other cultural and environmental issues. At most there may be a 50/50 relation with individual genes versus environment but there are many other factors too - including in Mo's case an ultra-comeptive and deep seated desire to win - which may come partly from his origins (tough mostly Hounslow upbringing) but mostly his own character and motivation.
As mentioned, in terms of athletics, he was discovered by his Hounslow schools PE teacher, nurtured by his local athletics club - and latterly a well funded support system (plus what must be considerable earnings).
So you could say his advantages come almost entirely down to himself and his success - and that level of success is unprecedented in his field (or rather track).
As mentioned, in terms of athletics, he was discovered by his Hounslow schools PE teacher, nurtured by his local athletics club - and latterly a well funded support system (plus what must be considerable earnings).
So you could say his advantages come almost entirely down to himself and his success - and that level of success is unprecedented in his field (or rather track).
seagull_in_malaysia
Active member
How would you classify someone who is mixed race? Only 50% of the win attributable to either side?
I can't speak for all his world records but I pretty sure all his marathon WRs were all in Berlin which is well known for its relatively weak field and perfectly backs up my earlier posts.
Edit: a quick Google states he planned these and deliberately chose Berlin.
The WRs are almost always set with paid pacemakers. They aren't usually races, they are staged time trials for a single athlete dressed up as races. The world champs and olympics are proper races - as well as raw pace, also require significant tactical nouse (the 5k on Saturday was a great example - even with the Ethiopians ganging up on Mo, he still out-ran them by running pretty much a perfect race). The WR attempts usually involve following another runner, then trying to bomb the last couple of laps. Pretty sure Mo could give it a good go if he wanted, but he focuses more on the WC and Olympics.
I watched Mo Farah documentary last night , most enjoyable watching, but for me the stand out moment in the context of this thread was when concluding both Usain Bolt and Seb Coe summed up Mo Farah as 'ONE of the best ever' and not 'THE best ever'.
For me without holding World Records @ 5000m and 10000m along without his Championship achievements, there is always another contender that doesn't allow you that ultimate accolade.
For me without holding World Records @ 5000m and 10000m along without his Championship achievements, there is always another contender that doesn't allow you that ultimate accolade.
ManOfSussex
We wunt be druv
- Jan 3, 2012
- 16,597
Wow. Just wow. The man is amazing. Arguably the greatest British athlete of all time? Whatever people might say about where he was born, he was developed by the British system. Amazing performance.
ManOfSussex
We wunt be druv
4 Olympic Gold Medals
6 World Championship Gold Medals (Thus far)
5 European Golds
6 World Championship Gold Medals (Thus far)
5 European Golds
Nike, Oregon and Salazar may disagree. Brilliant runner though. We'll have him back, if Trump throws him and his family out.
Oh, how the OP must be thrilled by how this thread has turned out 
When this popped up again I was tempted to suggest merging with the thread I just started but . . . nah . . . . leave it
When this popped up again I was tempted to suggest merging with the thread I just started but . . . nah . . . . leave it
Albumen
Don't wait for me!
Very very best of British. The greatest British athlete ever. And what a race.
- Jan 3, 2012
- 16,597
Point taken, but I meant his initial potential was picked up by our education system etc. He wa's not imported as a developed athlete as, for example, Zola Budd was.