The Gambia is playing host to high profile British athletes who are in the country as guests of UK-born Gambian athlete Nusrat Ceesay. The 400m hurdler and her array of world-beating athletes are in the country for her marriage on Friday 19 December.
Among the big names already in the country is Marilyn Okoro, a UK 800m bronze medalist at both the 2007 and 2008 IAAF athletics finals who also won bronze as part of Britain’s 4×400m relay at the 2007 IAAF final.
Segrid Egart, a reputed UK athletics coach with over 20 years of experience in the field is also here with his wife.
The entourage also includes David Parker, a javelin thrower for over 20 years with a broad range of knowledge and experience in the event. A talented all-round sportsperson, David, had a very successful throwing career as a young athlete including winning the English Schools Championships and the GB AAA’s U-20 title. He won that four years in succession (a record that still stands). His wife Michelle, who is here too, is an Irish athlete and has represented Ireland in IAAF championships and IOC competitions.
Last, but not the least, is Christine Uhoruogo, MBE, the first British woman to win 400 meters gold at both the Olympics and the World Championships.
The Londoner is also the only UK athlete of either gender to have won three global titles in the same discipline. She is the current world champion in 400m and arrives here on Friday.
Their host and fellow Briton, Nusrat Ceesay, a UK-based Gambian athlete, represented GB in junior and senior levels before shifting allegiance to represent The Gambia in 2012.
She is marrying on December 19 in The Gambia to a Gambian, Mustapha Saine. Three of her siblings are also GB athletes. Elder sister Amina was a GB sprinter (100 and 200m) and represented GB in IAAF World Championships in Helsinki in 2005. Zainab is a GB long and triple jumper. Haleema is a secondary champion in 100m.
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