"This is where I grew up, this is where I started life. This is my country and when I put on my Great Britain vest I’m proud. I’m very proud."
These were the immortal words of Mo Farah, Olympic 10,000m gold medalist and Somalia-born Isleworthian, to a journalist who had asked whether he would have preferred to have run for Somalia.
In the space of a day athletes such as Mo and the spectacular, not to mention very personable, heptathlon gold winner Jessica Ennis gave a clinical demonstration of everything that is great about multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Britain.
I couldn't help but notice how Facebook friends whom I've known to mumble confused complaints about "too many Somalis" and to make negative comments about immigration were hailing our victorious athletes, proudly posting up photos of them bedecked in Union Flags and sporting their gold medals. Long may that spirit last.
I'm not a big flag waver myself, probably an adverse reaction to years of far right activity. But what I felt when watching Mo bide his time before taking his rightful place at the front of the pack and storming home to victory was an immense feeling of pride - national pride, local pride, and also a real sense of fulfilment at having "got it right" after so many years of trying to defend the indefensible, and excuse the inexcusable.
They painted the post box outside our local Post Office gold today in Mo's honour. Which was very apt, because Mo's victory was a victory for everything that we as a community stand for and hold dear.
