Mo Running, No Problems

It is fundamentally clear from the reaction today that Saturday August 4th is a day that will be spoken of in hushed tones by British sports fans for years. Grandkids will be sat on laps, cradles will be rocked and instagram photos of Jessica Ennis' bum will be shown, and the story of the three medals in 45 minutes in the Olympic Stadium is one that will - quite deservedly - go down in history.

Ennis' triumph is extraordinary; winning with one of the best scores in Olympic history, her efforts are all the more astonishing when you consider the incredible circumstances surrounding her victory. The face of the games, burdened with perhaps more pressure than any athlete since Cathy Freeman, Jess produced the performance everyone demanded of her. But the achievements of the much-publicised Ennis may have been surpassed by those of a quietly spoken Somali immigrant less than an hour later.

Mo Farah arrived in England from war-torn Mogadishu aged 8. Unable to speak a word of English, the language barrier was exacerbated further by a colour barrier, as he grew up in a predominantly white working class community. Fights were common, as was trouble, and integrating himself was not easy. But, as it does for so many so often, sport proved to be the common ground.

A keen footballer - but with a turn of speed that was more impressive than his ball skills - he was encouraged to take to running. It's not exactly a happily-ever-after story from there though: it took Lottery grants (as well as Paula Radcliffe paying for his driving lessons) to allow Farah to quit his job in a fast-food joint to dedicate himself to athletics on a full-time basis. And from there, perhaps, it's happily-ever-after.

As he stood on the track last night, with wife Tania and daughter Rihanna by his side, Farah embodied the beauty of sport, and the true spirit of the Olympics. Behind the tub-thumping jingoism and electrifying entertainment there lies a core of ambition and of competition that drives sport across the world, a universality and accessibility that crosses race, class, financial, language and geographical divides. He may have won for Team GB, but Farah's victory is one for everyone who holds sport close to their hearts, who believes in its power and importance beyond a mere way to pass two summer weeks.

A Muslim immigrant will inspire a generation, in both Britain and further afield. In a night of flash-bulbs and names in lights, perhaps the brightest spark was provided by an unassuming hero.