OLYMPIAN asylum seeker Weynay Ghebresilasie, who is hoping to start a new life in the North-East after fleeing his African homeland, has got off to a flying start.

The 18-year-old steeplechaser was one of four Eritrean athletes who failed to return home after the London Olympics earlier this year.

He ran the fastest six mile race on his debut for Sunderland Harriers on Saturday in the North Eastern Harrier League at Bedewell Park in Jarrow.

He finished third overall in the men’s handicap after starting in the medium pack and helped Sunderland win the team race with a time of 30mins 10secs.

Club secretary Michael Hill said: “Weynay has joined us for training for the last three weeks. He started out with the veterans, but he was a bit too quick for us.

“He is now training with athletes who are a bit faster. He is ever-present at the Harriers’ training base at Silksworth and has been warmly welcomed by the members.”

Mr Ghebresilasie, who had been a soldier for 18 months, has three brothers in the army and lost a fourth in the 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia.

After walking out of the Olympic village, he threw away the sim card that had been given to him by the team’s minders.

He embarked on the process of claiming asylum in the UK, spending 11 hours being interviewed by UK Border Agency staff.

Sent to a detention centre in Croydon, he later spent two weeks in Huddersfield before moving to Sunderland last month.

Mr Ghebresilasie said: “We were not treated as athletes. The people in charge were high-ranking army officers.

“Once you are forced into the army there is no way of getting out. If I am sent home I will be accused of treason.

“I could be executed or my life will be in danger.”