Evans wants to be up to speed at Scotstoun

Former Scotland rugby player Thom Evans hopes to take his athletics career to another level this weekend – at the Scottish National Senior Championships.

The 27-year-old switched sports after a neck injury suffered in a Six Nations match in Cardiff.

He is due to run the 100 and 200metres at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. His Personal Best times suggest he may be hard-pushed to make either sprint final but is relishing the competition after finishing fourth in the 60m indoor final in February.

Evans said: “I am enjoying working hard at athletics and this will be another part of the learning curve. I know there will be people there who have been at this a lot longer than me – even if they are teenagers – and who are faster.

“My feeling is that, in sport, there’s no point in competing if you are afraid to lose.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am very competitive guy and it hurts me when I don’t win at whatever I am doing. But this is my first season in athletics and I very much see it being about making some progress.”

London-based Evans recently ran 11.34 for the 100m but the 200m has proved tougher for the man coached by Margot Wells, wife of Olympic 100m gold medallist Allan.

“There’s a lot for me to learn,” added Evans. “I could certainly do a bit better starting off the blocks. I could be more explosive. I could do better on the bend as well.

“Both Margot and myself believe that it will be at 400m that I will fare best at and I will definitely run one of those before this season finishes.”

The ten-times capped former winger has Belgrave Harriers, and said: “I did my first relay run at a meeting recently and really enjoyed it.

“It was a 4 x 100m and we were well ahead by the time I took the anchor leg. I just had to carry us through. I enjoyed that because carrying the baton took me back to tucking the ball under my arm and running at rugby.”

In the 100m, Evans could face his Belgrave team-mate, Craig Fleming, while other contenders could include Ryan Oswald (Sale Harriers), Stephen Dunlop (Aberdeen AAC) and Calum Innes (Victoria Park-Glasgow).

In the 200m, among his rivals will be youngster James Higgins (Glasgow School of Sport) and John Ruddy and Robert Ferrol (Shettleston Harriers).

The scottishathletics National Senior Championships are at Scotstoun from 1pm on Saturday and 12.30pm on Sunday. Entry for children is free, adults £3.