Four-time Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah should be knighted for his achievements, a Change.org petition says.

The 33-year-old British long-distance runner bagged his latest two gold medals at Rio 2016 for the 10,000 metres and 5,000m men’s races.

Seconds after Farah’s win in the 5,000m on Sunday (August 21), BBC commentator Brendan Foster, who won bronze in the 10,000m at the 1976 Montreal Games, said: ‘You’ve got to think about what he’s done – I think one of the greatest distance runners the world’s ever seen. Arise Sir Mo.’

Double win: Mo Farah took two gold medals at this the Olympics in Rio this year

Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: ‘Sir Mo!’ and ‘Wow! Just Wow! Rio is Mo Town. Mo Farah is surely the greatest long-distance runner of all time.’

And Archbishop of York John Sentamu urged his Twitter followers to spread support for the runner, who won his first two golds at London 2012, posting: ‘Mo Farah U are simply the Best Athlete Team GB has ever seen! Absolutely FANTABULOUS & Awesome! SIR MO’.

Baroness Benjamin, the former Play School presenter who is now a Liberal Democrat peer, tweeted: ‘You deserve to be Sir Mo as an inspiration to young kids who need hope.’

Writing on his petition, Charlie Lennox said: “I am calling for Mo Farah to receive a knighthood for his outstanding achievements in athletics.

In becoming the first British athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, Mo Farah has become one of the greatest British sporting heroes of all time.  He truly deserves to be knighted.

I agree with Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat leader, when he says it’s about time we restored some faith in the honours system after recent accusations of cronyism.  What better way of doing this than recognising the achievements of this amazing long-distance runner?”

For more information about this petition click here or email press.uk@change.org.

NOTES
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