Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Ready for the call
INVICTA MAN TIPPED FOR GB CALL-UP
Invicta East Kent athlete Abel Tsegay has been tipped to win international honours by the end of this summer. Tsegay continued his domination of the annual Canterbury 10-mile road race race by winning the Pentland Homes sponsored event for the sixth year in a row on Sunday. The 23-year-old’s victory came in 52minutes 29seconds finishing over three minutes ahead of Medway & Maidstone AC’S Mark Wilkins. Tsegay’s coach Peter Mullervy has overseen the refugeerunner’s career after he came to the country from Eritrea in 2014 and believes he can run internationally.
He said: “I remember getting a call about taking on a refugeerunner and I wasn’t really sure what to think, but from day one I realised he was a genuine talent.
“Abel hopefully gets his British citizenship in June and I think he will be running in a British vest at some point this summer because UKA have already shown great interest. “His drive is fantastic and since he arrived his sole focus has been to become a professional runner.” Of Sunday’s victory, Mullervy said: “It was very pleasing to see Abel win the race again, it’s a big focus of his season and he always delivers.
“He’s done really well after recovering from injury and even had a 100m lead after the first mile.”
Tsegay had previously expressed his ambition to run a sub-50 minute 10-miles but fell short on this occasion. Mullervy said: “The problem for Abel is he never gets any opposition pushing him forward in this race, but I do believe he’s capable of running a sub50 minute 10-mile race. “His determination always takes him over the line but it’s hard to go for a personal best when you’re that far clear.
“The next focus for him will be the national cross-country championships in February.” Sunday’s event, organised by Invicta, was again a sell-out – with the race limit of 1,500 being reached a fortnight before. Tonbridge AC runner Helen Gaunt was a first-time winner of the women’s race with Ian Stokes, of Canterbury Harriers, among those to win age group prizes.
■ Race report, page 49.
■ Invicta youngsters earn international selection, page 48.
‘His drive is fantastic and since he arrived his sole focus has been to become a professional runner’