Clara Evans and Verity Ockenden Make GB Team For World Road Running Championships

By Hannah Blackwell

Wales’ Commonwealth Games marathon star Clara Evans has been selected for the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October.

Evans – who finished ninth at the Games in Birmingham last year, but has since taken a massive eight minutes off her marathon personal best – will run for Great Britain in the half marathon.

The Pontypridd Roadent club member will join teammates Abbie Donnelly, Samantha Harrison and Calli Thackery.

Evans will be joined by Verity Ockenden of Swansea Harriers, who will compete in the 5k race after she assured her place in the team after a road 5km personal best of 15:26 at the trial.

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Both individual and team medals are up for grabs in this first of a new event that includes races from one mile to half marathon.

Evans rans 2:38:03 for the full marathon at last year’s Commonwealth Games, but smashed that mark with a run of 2:29:24 in Seville in March of this year.

She also has a best time of 70:17 for the half marathon run in Berlin in April of last year.

GB team leader Mark Pollard said: “The World Athletics Road Running Championship is an excellent opportunity for these athletes to gain valuable experience at the global level.

“After two competitive trial events over the past week, we are pleased to be selecting several athletes to represent the country in Latvia next month.”

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The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October:
Senior women
One Mile
Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield)
5km
Verity Ockenden (Swansea)
Half Marathon
Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington)
Clara Evans (Pontypridd)
Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson, Charnwood)
Calli Thackery (Hallamshire)
Senior men
One Mile
Callum Elson (Cambridge and Coleridge)
5km
Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth)
Tom Mortimer (Chris and Sonia McGeorge, Stroud)
Half Marathon
Mahamed Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton)
Jonny Mellor (Liverpool)
Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham and District)