Label volunteer writer Leah Langley discusses the three week training gap that Mo Farah has suffered in his appearance on TV reality show: ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’.
The much-anticipated return of ‘I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here’ was greeted with a large amount of attention from the world’s media. Focus was not only on the change of location, but also the impact the series was going to have on this year’s contestants. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, this year’s series is being held at Gwrych Castle, in Wales, for 3 weeks, as opposed to the usual stint in the Australian jungle. Rather than the usual appearance from global celebrities, this year’s camp is made up of more home-grown stars than any other series.
Sir Mo Farah is one of many individuals who decided to face the challenge of the show, but his decision has been met with some scepticism. Many people have voiced their concerns over Farah’s decision, as he is set to defend his 10,000 metres title in next year’s rearranged Tokyo Olympic Games, and there is concern whether an appearance could jeopardise his preparation.
Joanna Coates, UK Athletics Chief Executive, voiced her opinion, claiming that it was a “knife-edge decision,” and although she was excited about the prospect of having such a well-known athlete in a mainstream TV show she didn’t want this to be at the “detriment of performance.” Coates stated that such shows “take our athletes to a completely different audience,” and she knew that his appearance would have been a well thought out process with many “lengthy conversations.” Main concerns seem to be centred around the demand of the physical tasks and the lack of regular food intake which could seriously jeopardise Farah’s competitive readiness and hinder his chances of reclaiming his titles.
The popular programme has seen many other British Olympic Medallists making an appearance including Samantha Quek (GB Women’s Hockey) and Rebecca Adlington (GB Swimmer), and Farah’s appearance seems to have been inspired by former GB Sprinter, Linford Christie’s appearance in the jungle back in 2010. Like his previous teammates, Farah’s appearance gained much excitement as he will, presumably, exhibit the same mental toughness and fitness levels which always makes for exciting viewing. He is being joined by Paralympic athlete Hollie Arnold, who also is set to make an appearance in next year’s games. Whilst the decision seems to be set in stone, the full effects of the series will not be able to be understood until Farah takes to the track next year.
Edited by: Sports Editor Lois George
Header by: Christos Alamaniotis
