Eritrean Asylum Seeker To Represent Team Gb In Olympics

[fiction-factory]

The One Show last night featured the Eritrean athlete Tsegai Tewelde who was one of the Eritrean athletes who failed to return home after the 2008 world cross country championships and claimed asylum in the UK. He will represent GB at the Rio Olympics next month in the Marathon. he seemed really appreciative of the help he'd had from Scottish people. Will everyone here will be cheering him on for team GB?

[Old_Geezer]

I don't tend to cheer on athletes, but he has a British Passport so no reason why folk wouldn't.

[just2retro]

Any port in a storm or so they say.

[sandyRoe]

Zola Budd and Mo Farah have represented the UK at Olympic level. There may be more.
While I won't be cheering anyone on I hope all the UK representatives do well.

[Lie-in King]

I'll certainly cheer him on but shan't actually sit through the race :-)

[Mamyalynne]

I'm not really a sports fan but did watch the piece on this young man last night. It was great to see how he has put so much into helping others too as you say as part and parcel of his appreciation for this chance at life.

[just2retro]

I don't suppose the Eritrean Sports Association feels the same way. He went AWOL and should have been sent back home.

[campbellking]

You could always cheer the very British Chris Froome instead. Wasn't born here, didn't grow up here, doesn't live here, and previously represented Kenya. Think I'd rather cheer Mr Tewelde.