Four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah is set to headline the Ultimate Masterclass Festival in Aberdeen this summer, appearing live the night before the city hosts its Half Marathon weekend.
'An Evening with Sir Mo Farah' will take place at Aberdeen Music Hall on Friday July 17th - the night before thousands of runners take to the streets for marathon weekend.
The four-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion will appear live on stage for an exclusive interview, sharing insights from one of the most extraordinary careers in modern sport.
The event is part of the Ultimate Masterclass Festival (UMF), sponsored by Boskalis Subsea Services, which brings globally recognised speakers, entrepreneurs, athletes and cultural figures to Aberdeen for exclusive live conversations and audience Q&A sessions.
Widely regarded as the UK’s most successful track athlete, Sir Mo’s story stretches far beyond medals and records. From arriving in Britain as a child speaking little English to becoming a global sporting icon, his journey is one of resilience, discipline, mindset and relentless determination.
During the event, Sir Mo will discuss the mentality behind elite performance, coping with pressure on the world stage, sustaining success over more than a decade at the top of world athletics and transitioning from track domination to marathon running.
Ryan Crighton, host of UMF, said: “Sir Mo Farah is one of the most inspiring sportspeople Britain has ever produced and we are absolutely thrilled to bring him to Aberdeen.
“With the city preparing for marathon weekend, there could not be a more fitting guest to headline UMF. His story is about resilience, sacrifice, consistency and performing under pressure - lessons which resonate far beyond sport.
“UMF is all about bringing extraordinary people and extraordinary stories to Aberdeen, and Sir Mo is exactly that. We’re incredibly grateful to Boskalis Subsea Services for supporting the series and helping us continue to grow the festival.”
Vikki Thom, Head of Business Development and Marketing at Boskalis Subsea Services, added: “Sir Mo Farah’s journey is one of determination, resilience and excellence, and we’re excited to support an event that will inspire so many people across Aberdeen and beyond. Marathon weekend already creates a brilliant atmosphere in the city, and this event will make it even more special.”
Sir Mo Farah, CBE, is a multiple Olympic, World and European gold medallist. For many, he is Britain’s greatest ever athlete, having accumulated 10 global titles which includes the ‘double double’ of gold medals over 5,000m and 10,000m at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
He holds numerous European and British records and has the World Best distance for the One Hour Run (21,330m). Sir Mo was knighted in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to athletics.
Sir Mo is passionate about philanthropic work and is a Save the Children Ambassador, as well as being the first ever global Goodwill Ambassador of the International Organisation for Migration.
At the start of 2024, he became the National School Sport Champion for the Youth Sport Trust, embarking on ‘Mo’s Mission’ to encourage young people to be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day.
The Ultimate Masterclass Festival has become a flagship event for Aberdeen, attracting sell-out audiences and high-profile speakers from across sport, business, media and culture. Previous editions have welcomed Sir Chris Hoy, Louis Theroux, Davina McCall, James Corden, Grace Beverley and Jamie Genevieve, with more than 6,000 people attending the 2025 series alone.
“An Evening with Sir Mo Farah” takes place at Aberdeen Music Hall on Friday July 17th. Tickets are available to book now.