Following Adam Young’s silver medal success on Saturday, Tamworth AC’s Ben Evans heads out to Venice to compete in the Half Marathon event at the European Masters Athletics Championships this weekend.

41-year-old Evans has become a regular in the England Masters team but now makes his debut in the Great Britain vest after a year of ups and downs. 2019 started well with personal bests at the Chichester 10k (33:39) in February and British Half Marathon Championships (1:13:35) in March. Selection for the England Masters 10k followed for the Home Nations match in Birmingham but a series of niggles then disrupted Evans’ training through the early summer. Despite some below par performances, he still managed to collect a bronze medal at the British Masters Half Marathon Championship and gold at the Midland Masters 10 Mile.

Looking ahead to his first European Championships, Evans said “There’s some very strong competition in the line-up so I’m not realistically expecting to get close to the medals. I’m going out to enjoy the experience, do my best and see what happens. Every place counts for the team competition so that’s the big incentive for me. The course is really flat, and the weather forecast looks good so hopefully I can get a decent time on the clock”

When he returns from Venice, Evans will be turning his attention to another Home Nations match for England and the British Masters Marathon Championship; both at York in October.

Evans, who coaches the youngsters at our Academy on Sunday mornings and manages the Junior Cross Country team had this advice for aspiring athletes: “Always do your best, and not just in athletics. Be the best that you can in everything you do, make that the way you live your life and enjoy the rewards”.