Brother of North Wales athlete smashes Gambian 10k record in borrowed trainers.

*Steve Forsyth's brother Echen Omega (*above) smashes the Gambian 10k record in borrowed trainers - and won a major cash prize!

Report by Don Hale.

 

North Wales Road Runner Steve Forsyth was celebrating after reporting that his brother Echen Obega, won a top Gambian 10k event last weekend and smashed the country’s race record after borrowing his trainers and completing just six weeks of extra training!

Steve, who has recently returned to Wales from his home country, has been busy these past few weeks collecting unwanted shoes, and sports kit for underprivileged young sportsmen and women in Gambia, explained: ‘This result has literally turned this man into a national hero overnight. I’m so proud of you bro, I just wish I had been in Gambia to see it.’ 

He confirmed: ‘My little brother was competing in my trainers, and in just six weeks, he literally went from running 30-miles a week with no motivation, to fast forward - running 100-miles a week, and only going on to win the Banjul 10k in about 31-minutes, beating other established sponsored African athletes, to break the Gambian 10k record!’

Steve added that Echen additionally picked up a cheque for 25,000 Gambian Dalasi (about £350), which is understood to be a huge amount over there, and would probably feed a large family for about 18-months! 

He said most of it was being given to his employer to reinvest back into athletics for the police, with some handed to his parents, but admitted he wouldn’t spend a penny on himself, and that all he wanted to do was to make sure everyone he could reach out to would be OK.

As he prepared to ship out much of his kit collection back to Gambia, he said: ‘Want to know how your kindness and donations may help young Gambian athletes... just see it here!

*On the podium in Gambia (*above left) with the top three runners in the 10k race and (*above right) Steve Forsyth, who has proved an inspiration to his brother and others, and with his incredible kit appeal for athletes.

Steve was also delighted to note that his friend Lamin Sanneh, a respected veteran athlete, just missed out on third place in the half-marathon race, due to the quality of the Kenyans’ running home in an incredible 66-minutes, but said his friend was a Herculean machine, adding that the life expectancy of a Gambian was only about 60-years of age, but claimed he was still beating the majority of African runners, and was an absolute role model!’