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Runner Mo Farrah is Somalian not British!

Drewski

...because it's the European Championships. Lets not fool ourselves into thinking that those races would be won by anybody other than runners of an African ethnic origin if the whole world was competing.

Lemaitre is quick, not denying it, but he's still 0.10seconds off Obikwelu's European record, and best part of half a second away from Bolt.

Lemaitre will get no where near Bolt, Powell or Gay, you're right. First comment is a touch naive though, given Jeremy Wariner (USA) is the world 400m champion, and couldn't be much whiter.

Reply 61

callum9999

16

Clubber Lang

technically british i guess but the poitn of running in a national competition is effectivley to show you which 'breed' of person is best and essentially he is african like all the best long distance runners

that said he wouldnt be where he was today without all his running coaching which was all in the UK.

interesting also that you dont default to the country you were born in liek you generally do in football

Says who?

The whole point of INTERnational competitions from my point of view has always been a friendly competition where each country tries to beat the others. British athletes (even excluding people you may deem non-British) are not even remotely comparable to British people in general in their abilities, so it shows nothing about which "breed" of person is best.

Reply 62

Drewski

19

Diogeues

Yeah, I agree with your point, but how can you knock GB athletics? 4th at the Olympics and picking up plenty of golds at Euros now?!

Our athletes are good inspite of our system, which for years has been woeful. Funding is getting better, but has been bad for ages. Top athletes find themselves having to go abroad for training or indeed just train 'privately'.

We're currently second at the Euros, which isn't bad, Russia will always win that, though.

Look ahead to the Olympics, aside from niche events where a competitor has had to have access to money from a very young age in order to get good, then we do woefully. We have potentially 2 gold medallists in track and field. And that's if we're lucky.

Reply 63

Apagg

13

He owes his position to what this country has provided, I have no problem with him representing us.

Reply 64

Drewski

19

Diogeues

Lemaitre will get no where near Bolt, Powell or Gay, you're right. First comment is a touch naive though, given Jeremy Wariner (USA) is the world 400m champion, and couldn't be much whiter.

Fair one, but that's only going to last as long as Bolt doesn't take up the 400 as well as the 1 and 2... :p:

Reply 65

Roobsa

13

Diogeues

Lemaitre will get no where near Bolt, Powell or Gay, you're right. First comment is a touch naive though, given Jeremy Wariner (USA) is the world 400m champion, and couldn't be much whiter.

You've got to remember Lamaitre is a very immature runner. He's got so much work to do on his technique that in 4-5 years time, he could be a contender for 100m champ. In the 200m, his running on the bend is rubbish but when he gets on the straight and opens up, it's incredibly impressive.

Back OT - Mo is a brilliant runner and anyone who thinks he isn't British is a moron. He's spent the majority of his life in this country. He's winning us medals and is without a doubt a world class long distance runner. Shame Chris Thompson couldn't do more in the 5k, but after the 10k earlier in the week, I bet he won't be disappointed at all.

Reply 66

Diogeues

Drewski

Fair one, but that's only going to last as long as Bolt doesn't take up the 400 as well as the 1 and 2... :p:

I'd like to see him do it. I'm not sure he will though- he was clearly feeling the extra burn when he tried to beat M Johnson's 300m record...

Reply 67

Diogeues

Roobsa

You've got to remember Lamaitre is a very immature runner. He's got so much work to do on his technique that in 4-5 years time, he could be a contender for 100m champ. In the 200m, his running on the bend is rubbish but when he gets on the straight and opens up, it's incredibly impressive.

For sure, yes- if he significantly improved himself on the bend then he could definitely run sub-20 seconds on the 200. Bolt and Gay's PBs are just different class though, for both 100 & 200.

Reply 68

Drewski

19

Diogeues

I'd like to see him do it. I'm not sure he will though- he was clearly feeling the extra burn when he tried to beat M Johnson's 300m record...

Er...2?

He was feeling it because it's the one he was bothered about so was working harder. If he trained for it properly [ie, look like he actually cares for once :p:

] then he could demolish it.

Reply 69

Diogeues

Drewski

Er...2?

He was feeling it because it's the one he was bothered about so was working harder. If he trained for it properly [ie, look like he actually cares for once :p:

] then he could demolish it.

No no, 'tis indeed 300- http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8709896.stm

He blamed not being 100%; he's already broken the 200. 400 is harder no question, but Tyson Gay has set times for it... I'd like to see Bolt try.

Reply 70

ume132

7

Haha I like how this has turned into white v black, where people are supporting a french over a british person. Tolerant liberal Britain

Reply 71

ume132

7

Haha I like how this has turned into white v black, where people are supporting a french over a british person. Tolerant liberal Britain

Reply 72

JW92

18

If he has British citizenship, he's British. If he doesn't, that's cheating. Honestly, it doesn't really fuss me if someone who was born on the same patch of land as me wins a game against some other people who weren't born on the same patch of land as me or not. And as a country full of whites, we're fighting a losing battle and need all the help we can get.

Reply 73

SatanIsAwesome

13

Hannah45

10,000m?

Ah yes, typo XD

Reply 74

rockrunride

19

That's Farah with one r :hmmm:

He may have been born in Somalia, but he was made in the UK; he moved from Mogadishu aged ten and spoke no English. As far as I'm concerned he's a Hounslow lad.

Reply 75

gozatron

16

WarriorInAWig

inb4 OP is racist, xenophobic, jealous, etc...

The world-class runner Mo Farrah is amazing and talented but he is Somalian by birth. I am pleased he's won, but it's because of his Somalian heritage and genes, nothing British whatsoever, save for coaching.

What do you think?

One thing i'm pee'd off about is Eoin Morgan... :mad:

He's not even British and had already represented Ireland at international level. Damn IOC not giving Ireland test status!!

Reply 76

Clubber Lang

15

MadnessRed

No, its to show which country has the best athletes. Small difference.

He is not as good as he is because he is from Britiain, he is as good as he is because of his genetic make up which is slightly different from what most people might consider 'traditional' british (i.e fat pie eaters for the most part).

callum9999

Says who?

The whole point of INTERnational competitions from my point of view has always been a friendly competition where each country tries to beat the others. British athletes (even excluding people you may deem non-British) are not even remotely comparable to British people in general in their abilities, so it shows nothing about which "breed" of person is best.

Indeed, but certainly in athletics they certainly win due to the country they are originally from.

I dont think it matters what normal british people are like because we are talking about the elites and as far as long distance running goes Africans have always been elites. Running may be unique as it is one of the disciplines where its clearly linked to genetic make up.

Reply 77

ak56

13

I agree, it doesn't really count. As far as I'm concerned that's essentially a win for Somalia, not Britain. That might upset you lefties, but I'm a realist.