Britons love Mo Farah after London Marathon breakthrough

British runner Mo Farah’s popularity has waxed and waned over the last few years, amidst doping allegations and occasional skirmishes with the media, interspersed with incredible performances on the track and now in the marathon. His third-place finish in yesterday’s sweltering London marathon, behind 2017 champion Nike Breaking2 star Eliud Kipchoge and Kenyan Shura Kitata, and his capture of a new British record in the distance seems to have assured his place in British hearts for the foreseeable future.

RELATED: Mo Farah splits from coach Alberto Salazar and Oregon Project

After achieving multiple world championships and records in the early years of his career, Farah was the hero of the 2012 London Olympics, winning gold in both the 5,000m and the 10,000m distances. In spite of this, after winning the BBC’s Sport Personality of the Year (SPOTY) award, which is voted on by the public, he was then shut out of this honour until last year.

⚡️ Mo Breaks British Marathon Record! ⚡️#LondonMarathon #SpiritofLondonhttps://t.co/FCJpwRbFiv

— TCS London Marathon (@LondonMarathon) April 22, 2018

In 2015 sports writer Oliver Brown, writing in the Daily Telegraph, speculated that British xenophobia and racism were less likely causes of Farah’s slide in popularity (he was raised in Somalia and lived in the U.S. during these years) than his self-imposed isolation from the British public due to his training with Alberto Salazar in Oregon. Allegations of doping against Salazar (and Farah by association, though neither was ever formally accused) led to his declining to participate in a meet in Birmingham in 2015, which was perceived by many Britons as a snub.

Farah debuted the marathon in London in 2014, finishing eighth. He achieved his second consecutive Olympic double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Rio in 2016. His reign on the track came to a disappointing end at the World Championships in London last year, when he lost to Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris in the 5,000m final.

In October 2017 the 34-year-old announced he was ending his six-year relationship with Salazar, moving back to London and embracing the marathon, with Gary Lough as his coach. Lough is married to women’s world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe.

My new ad comes out today …. Great fun working with Yopa!#seriouslywhynot #yopa #ad
https://t.co/Q8iLIhp4Cf

— Sir Mo Farah (@Mo_Farah) April 7, 2018

Farah did not attend the 2017 awards ceremony, due to his children’s illness. He has twin daughters and a son.