ERITREAN Olympic Games flag-bearer and now asylum seeker Weynay Ghebresilasie will compete in his first 10K road race tomorrow as he tries to spearhead a hat-trick of victories for his adopted club, Sunderland Harriers, in the 3-2-1 Challenge in the city's annual Festival of Running.

The Wearside club have twice carried off the £500 first prize in the competition, which is decided by the performances of six athletes - one must be a woman - in the 10K, half marathon and marathon.

Ghebresilasie, who recently spend two weeks in hospital with a viral infection, has previously only run in one 10k event, winning the low-key South Shields Sand Dancer multi-terrain event two weeks ago. But the 19-year-old Olympic Games 3000m steeplechaser is expected to be the club's leading counter of three in the 10K, won last year by Darlington 10K record-holder, Wallsend's Ethiopian athlete Yared Hagos in 30 mins 46 secs, while the performances of the club's best two runners in the half marathon and one in the marathon, will be added.

Despite being a comparative newcomer to road running, having previously only competed in the Royal Signals Road Relays, where he helped Sunderland win the silver medals in the North-East championship in February, Ghebresilasie should be among the leaders in the 10K, while the club's three-times North-East cross country champion, Mark Hood, could win the half marathon.

Great Britain marathon international Alyson Dixon, who failed by eight seconds to achieve the World Championships qualifying time and selection for Moscow in August, will defend her 10K title tomorrow. The 34-year-old Sunderland Stroller, who clocked 2 hours 31 mins 8 secs finishing runner-up at Brighton two weeks ago, won the Sunderland 10K last year in 37 mins 5 secs, finishing 18th overall.

The Marathon of the North and the Half Marathon of the North start at Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light at 9.30am, while the 10K gets underway 30 minutes later.