When the double Olympic champion ran over to his wife Tania – heavily pregnant with twin girls – at the trackside, she handed him a flag which bore his nickname Fly Mo.
But after officials apparently took exception to the flag, Mrs Farah, who works as Mo’s publicist, gave her husband a withering look and stuffed the item into her handbag.
Celebration: Mo Farah and his wife Tania with the Fly Mo flag on Saturday evening after he won his second gold of the Games
At one point an official appeared to tug on the back of Farah’s top to hurry him along, and as he walked off he cast a concerned look back at his wife.
Some observers claimed officials had objected to the words Fly Mo, which could appear to advertise the lawnmower firm, a non-Olympic sponsor.
Or perhaps Farah was wary of upsetting his own sponsors, Nike, Lucozade and Bupa.
Problem: Mo's smiling but his wife Tania looks a little upset
Cross: Tania seems to give Mo a withering look as she begins to fold the flag back up
Out of sight: She stuffs the flag back into her handbag
All's well again: The couple kiss among the crowd following the exchange
But yesterday he had a more simple explanation for the incident at the Olympic Stadium. Farah said: ‘She [Tania] got told off for going on the track. They were like, ‘‘no, you stay there’’. There was this guy giving her a hard time about it.
A spokesman for Locog said official rules meant families were not allowed on the track, but there were no rules banning athletes from carrying unofficial or customised flags during their lap of honour.
Mrs Farah, 26, who is due to give birth next month, and Mo, 29, met at Feltham Community College in West London. At the time Farah was living with his aunt in Hounslow, having left war-torn Somalia when he was eight.
Tania’s mother Nadia Nell, 51, said there was chemistry between the pair from the start. She said: ‘She was a couple of years below him at school, but I think he always liked her and they’d hang out a lot together.’
They went their separate ways after college, during which time Tania gave birth to Rihanna. Tania’s mother recalled that Mo ‘adored’ his step-daughter, now seven, from the start.
He and Tania married in April 2010 and now live with Rihanna near Portland, Oregon, where he trains.
At the start of the Games, he said he wanted to win a gold medal for each of his unborn children – a promise he has now fulfilled.
Historic win: The long distance runner tried to reveal the flag after becoming the first Brit ever to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m
Double gold: Mo Farah does his trademark celebration after taking double gold in a memorable Olympic campaign
Ecstatic: Farah reacts as he crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 5,000m final
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