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Olympic Champion Mo Farah Knighted By The Queen At Buckingham Palace

Olympic Champion Mo Farah Knighted By The Queen At Buckingham Palace

The four-time Olympic champion, who came to the UK from Somalia as a child, had been named on the 2017 New Years Honours list.

Chris Ogden

Chris Ogden

British distance runner Mo Farah has received a knighthood from the Queen at Buckingham Palace today for his services to athletics.

The four-time Olympic champion, who came to the UK from Somalia as a child, had been named on the 2017 New Years Honours list.

Sir Mo called time on his track career at the end of this summer and will now be moving back to London to focus on running road marathons instead.

Sir Mo said: "I'm so happy to be awarded this incredible honour from the country that has been my home since I moved here at the age of eight."

Credit: PA

With his four gold medals, Sir Mo is the most successful British track athlete in the modern history of the Olympic games.

He won his golds at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, finishing in first place in the 5000m and 10,000m categories at both Games.

He is also the most decorated athlete in British athletics history, having won ten global titles overall.

Sir Mo has won six gold medals in the World Championships and five European Championships since his first major title in the European Athletics Junior Championship in 2001.

Credit: PA

Sir Mo was pictured at the Palace before and after the ceremony with his wife Tania, his long-term girlfriend who he married in April 2010.

The long-distance runner was not the only celebrity to receive honours at Buckingham Palace for their services to the UK.

Others who received honours included the TV cook and Norwich City F.C. majority shareholder Delia Smith, who became a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to cookery.

Rosa Monckton - a friend of the late Diana, Princess of Wales - was made an MBE for voluntary and charitable services to people with learning difficulties and their families in the UK and abroad.

The model Erin O'Connor was honoured an MBE for services to fashion and charity, while the actor Patricia Hodge was given an OBE for services to drama.

The New Years Honours is a key event in the British honours system which dates to at least 1890.

The other major event in the British Honours system is the Birthday Honours which are announced in June each year around the date of the Queen's official birthday.

Sir Mo has been a fantastic representative for British athletics so it's no surprise at all that he's been awarded a knighthood.

Congratulations, Sir Mo.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: SPORT, olympics, News, olympic games