4-Time Olympic Track Champion Mo Farah Chases Down Thieves After His Phone Is Stolen During Jog

Mar. 15, 2025

Mo Farah.

Two thieves got a big surprise when they realized that the cellphone they stole belonged to Olympic track champion Mo Farah.Farah, a four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters, was out for a run along with his wife, Tania Nell last week and left his phone on the side of a private road leading to the large Surrey estate the couple shares. As they left the house, Farah saw a white van approach and two men take his phone, according toThe Times.The thieves then got back into the van — and Farah began to chase down the vehicle at “full throttle,” a witness told the outlet.Farah easily caught up to the van, and the thieves reportedly handed over Farah’s phone without any further incident.Mo Farah.Joe Maher/BFC/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Per The Times, there is now an investigation into the theft.Farah is Britain’s most-decorated track athletes in history, with his double golds in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. He also earned 6 gold and 2 silver medals at World Championships during his running career.Farah and Nell, who wed in 2010, have three children — twin daughters Aisha and Amani and a son named Hussein. Farah is also stepfather to Nell’s daughter Rihanna.In a 2022 documentary, Farah revealed that his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and he was taken from his family in his native Somaliland at age 9 and trafficked to England.“Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the U.K. When I was 4, my dad was killed in a civil war,” Farah said at the time. “As a family, we were torn apart. I was separated from my mother and I was brought into the U.K. illegally, under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”“From that moment, coming in, [I had] a different name, a different identity,” he said. “I know I’ve taken someone else’s place.”

Two thieves got a big surprise when they realized that the cellphone they stole belonged to Olympic track champion Mo Farah.

Farah, a four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters, was out for a run along with his wife, Tania Nell last week and left his phone on the side of a private road leading to the large Surrey estate the couple shares. As they left the house, Farah saw a white van approach and two men take his phone, according toThe Times.

The thieves then got back into the van — and Farah began to chase down the vehicle at “full throttle,” a witness told the outlet.

Farah easily caught up to the van, and the thieves reportedly handed over Farah’s phone without any further incident.

Mo Farah.Joe Maher/BFC/Getty

Joe Maher/BFC/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Per The Times, there is now an investigation into the theft.

Farah is Britain’s most-decorated track athletes in history, with his double golds in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. He also earned 6 gold and 2 silver medals at World Championships during his running career.

Farah and Nell, who wed in 2010, have three children — twin daughters Aisha and Amani and a son named Hussein. Farah is also stepfather to Nell’s daughter Rihanna.

In a 2022 documentary, Farah revealed that his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and he was taken from his family in his native Somaliland at age 9 and trafficked to England.

“Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the U.K. When I was 4, my dad was killed in a civil war,” Farah said at the time. “As a family, we were torn apart. I was separated from my mother and I was brought into the U.K. illegally, under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”

“From that moment, coming in, [I had] a different name, a different identity,” he said. “I know I’ve taken someone else’s place.”

source: people.com