From goat herder to British marathon elite
Eritrean who refused to go home after previous competition qualifies to join Team GB at Olympics
A former goat herder who bears the scars of a landmine blast he survived aged eight in Eritrea has won a place in Team GB for the Rio Olympics. Tsegai Tewelde, 26, who claimed asylum in the UK after competing in the world cross-country championships in Edinburgh in 2008, finished as the second-fastest Briton in yesterday’s London Marathon. Competing in his first ever marathon, Tewelde finished in 12th place, with a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds, securing him the right to represent Britain.
AN ERITREAN former goat-herder who bears the scars of a landmine blast he survived aged eight has won a place in Team GB for the Rio Olympics, after finishing as the second-fastest Briton in yesterday’s London marathon.
Tsegai Tewelde, 26, was one of six Eritrean athletes who claimed asylum in the UK after competing in the world cross-country championships in Edinburgh in 2008, fearing their performance had not been good enough to save them from being conscripted to a brutal life in the military on their return.
Yesterday, competing in his first ever marathon, Tewelde finished in 12th place, with a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds, securing him the right to represent Britain.
The athlete, who has lived in Glasgow for eight years, cried as he was asked about his remarkable story, and described how he feels “part of the family” thanks to his Scottish coach.
Tewelde has a scar on his forehead from the blast that killed his childhood friend and left him injured by shrapnel. The athlete, who has been surviving on the minimum wage, having been unable to compete for his country until now, said: “It was tough for me but the race went well and I really enjoyed it.” The men’s race was won in commanding fashion by 31-yearold Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who set a new course record, with a time of two hours, three minutes and five seconds, the second-fastest marathon time in history. Callum Hawkins, 23, was the fastest Briton, securing automatic qualification for the Olympics after crossing the line in eighth place with a time of two hours, 10 minutes and 52 seconds. Hawkins’s older brother, Derek, finished third among British competitors and could still be handed a place in the Rio team by British officials, as his time was well inside the qualification standard.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Jemima Sumgong overcame a heavy fall in which she smashed her head on the tarmac and a near-miss with an intruder on the course to claim victory with a five-second margin.
The 31-year-old was seen rubbing her head in pain and bleeding after being floored in a collision with Ethiopia’s Aselefech Mergia less than five miles from the finish line.
Sumgong also had to contend with a spectator who vaulted the barrier and ran on to the course, almost colliding with the athlete before being dragged away by security. Police said he had “misunderstood what was acceptable” behaviour at the event.
Sumgong crossed the line in two hours, 22 minutes and 58 seconds – a trickle of blood from the fall still visible on her temple – beating last year’s winner, Tigist Tufa, into second place. Sumgong described the fall as “very painful” but said she had not been worried by the intruder.
Alyson Dixon and Sonia Samuels secured places in the Rio squad as the two top-ranking British women athletes in the marathon.
Elsewhere, Tim Peake completed his own “London marathon” tethered to a treadmill on board the International Space Station in a time of three hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds – only 16and-a-half minutes slower than his time running the course in 1999.