Mo Farah attends footprint ceremony ahead of final race at Great North Run

Sir Mo Farah has had his feet immortalised in concrete ahead of his last ever competitive race.

The four-time Olympic champion is making this year's Great North Run his final competitive race.

Farah, who has won six Great North Runs, attended a ceremony at South Shields interchange on Friday 8 September.

He added his footprints into a cast built in the station's floor, which will become a permanent feature of the Metro ticket concourse.

Cathy Massarella, interim managing director of Nexus, which runs the Tyne and Wear Metro, said: “It was a huge honour for us to welcome Sir Mo Farah on Metro today to set his footprints at our transport interchange in South Shields.

“It was a really fitting way to celebrate his amazing career, and to mark his final competitive race at this year’s Great North Run.

“The cast of these footprints will stand the test of time, and will be there for many generations to come. I am sure our customers are just as excited as us to see this new permanent feature in our Metro concourse in South Shields town centre.

“It will serve as a permanent reminder of Sir Mo’s glittering career, including the six times he has won the Great North Run. He’s part of local folklore here in North East England, and a national hero, who has a special place in everyone’s hearts for all that he’s achieved in professional sport.”

Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, said: ”We’re delighted Nexus have chosen to honour Mo and his special connection with the Great North Run in such a permanent way.

“South Shields will always be the place he took his last steps as a professional athlete and we hope his footprints continue to inspire local runners for many years to come.”

Nexus has also given one of its Metro station cubes a "Mobot" makeover, in a nod to the athlete's famous celebration.

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