Mo-tivation.

It's a big year for the University in the lead up to the Olympics. Our new multi million pound sport centre named after the famous Polish Goalkeepr John Paul II opens later in the month, the summer months saw visits to campus from both Sebastian Coe and Usain Bolt and we're now busy making preparations to host athletes from China, Ireland and South Africa in pre-games training camps.

The biggest boost though came yesterday with local hero and former student Mo Farrah racing to gold in the 5000 metres at the World Championships in Korea. It's great news - particularly after the disappointment of being pipped at the post in the 10,000 metres earlier in the week.

Mo is a remarkable man. Before he headed off to Oregon last year you'd have seen him doing laps here most mornings (he does about 130 miles worth a week) and no matter how early you cycle in, feeling like the first person in the world to rise, you know full well he's been out there for an age. No alarm clock on five minutes more snooze for him. The dedication in itself is inspiring.

Mo's going to have a lot of pressure on him between now and next summer and the win probably catapults him into superstar status - Channel 4 were on campus first thing this morning filming clips of the running track for a forthcoming documentary - but St Marys has been a good home for him. He's rapidly becoming our big medal hope for 2012.

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