Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Weynay Ghebresilasie was just 18 when he made the bold decision to remain in the UK after the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Then a steeplechaser, the athlete had been the flag bearer for Eritrea at the London Games, but remained in the UK to avoid conscription in his dictatorship home country.

He told at the time how he would be accused of treason and his life would be at risk if he returned to the East African nation.

Best British finisher, Britain's Weynay Ghebresilasie poses with his trophy at the presentation for the men's race in the 2022 London Marathon in central London on October 2, 2022. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / Restricted to editorial use - sponsorship of content subject to LMEL agreement. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Weynay was first housed in a detention centre in Croydon before spending some time in Huddersfield and then moving to Sunderland in late 2012, where he joined the Sunderland Harriers running club.

Echo readers from the time will remember pictures of him competing in the snow during the Harriers League cross country events in the bleak British winter.

The runner later moved to Glasgow, and last year became eligible to run for Britain.

Now, 10 years on from the London Games, Ghebresilasie was the first British finisher at the London Marathon on Sunday, October 2, coming home in ninth place.

Fastest British competitor Weynay Ghebresilasie crosses the line in ninth place in the men's elite race at the London Marathon in London, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

"Before the 2012 Olympics my country was not in a good situation, I was in the army and I didn't like that, that's why I stayed in Britain," he told reporters in London today.

"My plan is to run at the World Championships and the Paris Olympics. I will try to prepare for my next London Marathon and hopefully run for Great Britain."

The London Marathon was once more staged in October after the disruption of the covid pandemic, but organisers intend to return the race to the spring for 2023, when it is scheduled for Sunday, April 23, 2023.

Up to 50,000 people set off on the eagerly-awaited 2022 26.2-mile race from Blackheath in south-east London to the finish line on The Mall.

Sunderland’s own Jill Scott was an official race starter, along will fellow Lionesses Leah Williamson and Ellen White – who were all part of England Women’s Euro 2022 winning team.

Runner who took refuge in Sunderland from dictatorship in Eritrea is first Brit over the line at London Marathon