There is a US television presenter this week who needs to go back to the drawing board and make sure she does her research before making a complete idiot of herself in front of millions of viewers.
Mo Farah, one of the most recognisable faces to have come out of the London2012 Olympics, had just won the New Orleans half marathon in a record time of 61 minutes. Imagine his surprise to be asked by the anchor, LaTonya Norton, firstly “Haven’t you run before?” and then “This isn’t your first time?” Surely this is on a par with asking whether the Pope is a Catholic?
Viewers were left cringing throughout the interview on local television station WDSU - she quite clearly had no idea who he was – something perhaps a quick Google search might have sorted out for her? I thought that was what the numbers on their vests were for, to help news crews identify the individual runners. This seems to work for most other sports.
It is unsurprising therefore that someone has taken the opportunity to update the list of anchors on WDSU’s Wikipedia page to read ‘LaTonya ‘Doesn’t know who Mo Farah is’ Norton’.
So Ms Norton, let me put you in the picture. Farah secured his place in history in London last summer, becoming the first British man to win Olympic gold in the 10,000m, and one of only five people to also win gold in the 5,000m. Britain’s most successful distance runner of all time, he was awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List.
He has had two post boxes painted gold as a permanent tribute to his achievements, one in Isleworth, where he grew up, and the other in neighbouring Teddington, in south west London, where the athlete spent time training. A nice touch with the one in Teddington is that it is right across the road from a Fara charity shop which has had its signwriting changed to Mo Fara as a further tribute to a local hero’s success!
Who are you, LaTonya Norton?????
