Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Diane Taylor

‘It’s a step towards hope’: a refugee’s journey from wartorn Eritrea to the London Marathon

Hagos Kidana Abrha
Hagos Kidana Abrha says he and a friend left Eritrea and ran for two days in Ethiopia until they reached the border with Sudan. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

Hagos Kidana Abrha has done a lot of running in his life. As a teenager he raced his friends up mountains in his home country of Eritrea. When the country’s government tried to conscript him he ran for two days to the border with Sudan to escape – his ability to run saving his life.

On Sunday, he will join tens of thousands of runners speeding past an entirely different and much safer set of landmarks – Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf – when he participates in the London Marathon, raising money for a refugee charity.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.