Welsh record-holder finishes forty sixth in 2:33:01 after getting Crew GB call-up only one week earlier
Clara Evans solely discovered she was operating the Olympic marathon seven days earlier than the race. She flew out to Paris 5 days beforehand and is getting married in Chepstow subsequent Saturday. However she completed first Brit dwelling in 46th in 2:33:01.
“It’s been a whirlwind. I used to be prepping for a marriage not a marathon,” she informed AW on the end of the race within the French capital. “I didn’t assume I’d make an Olympics. I’m simply so proud and pleased to be within the crew.”
GB team-mates Calli Hauger-Thackery and Rose Harvey didn’t fare so effectively. Hauger-Thackery had been forward of Evans within the early phases however fell again by way of the sphere and DNF’d, whereas Harvey started slowing lots within the second half of the race however, decided to complete, battled on grimly to 78th place in 2:51:03.
Battling a hip drawback, Harvey exited the end in a wheelchair.
Calli Hauger-Thackery in lead group (Getty)
Evans, 30, had changed Charlotte Purdue, who withdrew with an ankle harm. The Welsh record-holder’s greatest is 2:25:01 and on a tricky hilly course on Saturday in heat situations she ran simply eight minutes slower as she got here in a single place behind Gerda Steyn, the South African record-holder and three-time Comrades Marathon winner.
Had Evans been coaching with the Olympic marathon as a possible race? Not significantly, she defined: “It wasn’t actually behind my thoughts nevertheless it was behind the thoughts of my coach Chris (Jones). I couldn’t give it some thought as I felt it was too laborious to cope with the prospect of a possible (run). I knew the opposite women have been nonetheless operating superb so I wasn’t actually fascinated about it.
Clara Evans (Getty)
“I used to be aiming for Valencia on the finish of the 12 months in order that was my thought course of. My major goal was the Europeans. I’ve been doing just a little little bit of marathon prep however not absolutely nevertheless it was clearly sufficient to get by way of.”
Evans completed ninth within the European half-marathon in Rome in June in 70:06. So she has been in fine condition this summer time.
Ladies’s marathon (Getty)
“I simply needed to run robust,” she mentioned. “The wheels got here off about 35km however that’s to be anticipated once you’ve not completed a full marathon construct up. I simply needed to attempt to hold going for so long as attainable and once I was the primary Brit, I simply needed to attempt to maintain on to that.”
On her standing as a super-sub, she added: “I might not be as quick as the opposite women however I’m undoubtedly robust and I’m good on the more durable programs and really decided. I don’t like individuals telling me ‘no’ and folks inform me ‘no’ I wish to show them improper and I really feel I’ve completed that within the final couple of years and now I simply need to hold going.”
Clara Evans (Getty)
Stuffed with smiles on the finish of 26 gruelling miles, she mentioned: “I may see a great deal of Welsh flags. I noticed a few of my household with 2km to go, too. They don’t usually come to see me run as they’re all the time taking care of my canine (a Siberian Husky known as Bella). However they couldn’t miss this chance so that they flew out.”
Was her fiancé Paul supporting? “He was on the hill to attempt to hold me going!” she mentioned.
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On her rapid plans, she mentioned: “I used to be nearly to begin my marathon prep for Valencia. This entails going to Font Romeu so I feel I’ll keep it up with that plan. I feel I’m quicker than my 2:25 PB however I have to show it by placing it right into a race.”
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