The pair, who now live and train in the UK, will tackle the 26.2-mile course in the German capital.
Seifu Jamaal and Kader Seyed, two former refugees who have now found a home in the UK, will compete in this tournament. Berlin Marathon on Sunday (September 29).
Jamaal and Seyed started their running journeys when they arrived in the country in 2018 and 2020 respectively and have progressed well in the sport.
In the marathon, with the results of 2:19:39 and 2:22:44, respectively, the couple won elite places in the capital of Germany.
Jamaal has strong cross-country and track credentials, making his time of 2:19:39 over 26.2 miles on debut at last year’s Berlin Marathon even more impressive.
This season he also won the London Landmarks 10km in 29:41, finished second to Jack Rowe in the recent Vitality London 10,000, finished fourth in the Great Half and finished eighth in The Great North Run.
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His other personal bests are 13:58 for 5km, 29:12 for 10km and 63:34 for the half marathon.
Seyed started his running journey in late 2022, quickly becoming one of the UK’s top performers in the U23 age group. Despite being in the running for less than two years, 2024 was a breakout year for the 21-year-old.
As well as his 2:22:44 in the marathon, he also had personal bests of 15:32 for 5km, 31:51 for 10km and 67:43 for 13.1 miles.
Notable races in 2024 include 25th in the London Marathon, 18th in the Cambridge Half Marathon and fourth in the Fred Hughes 10 Miler.
Their stories bring hope to refugees across the country and reinforce the power of sport to bring people together and improve lives.
The Refugee Run Club – The Refugee Run Club
The duo are both part of The Refugee Run Club, which exists to support refugees and asylum seekers by creating local run communities across the country.
Research shows that one in five refugees have a mental health problem and the charity uses the power of running to give refugees a sense of belonging, community and support, as well as a chance to get out and exercise.
As former refugees living in the UK, both Sefu and Kader can relate to runners supported by the charity overcoming huge challenges to compete at the highest level. They now play an ambassadorial role, inspiring runners as role models within the club.
Refugee Running Club was created by Dan Strang, who is also the founder of a running/training app called Coopah. The brand will sponsor each of the runners and provide gear and wider support ahead of Berlin.
The Refugee Run Club – The Refugee Run Club
“As an organisation, we want to improve the lives of refugees in the UK,” says Strang. “Often we read lies about how refugees don’t want to integrate and want to take advantage of not being able to work. In our experience it is the opposite, the refugees we work with want to integrate, they want to work and they want to help others, but they are often not given the tools to do so.
“We built the Refugee Running Club because we saw how running can have a positive impact on refugees, giving them passion, friendship and health. Our goal is to grow the club and the community. We have a vision to have a refugee running club in every park across the country, so we are calling on more clubs and volunteers to reach out and offer their support.
“The achievements of our ambassadors Sefu and Kader are inspiring and we will be cheering them on in Berlin.”
Both Saifu and Kader also train and represent NxtStride Sports.
If the public would like to donate to the Refugee Escape Club or offer to volunteer or support at one of the regional clubs, please contact the organization. here.
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