Evans put her wedding preparations on hold and became the best Briton in the women’s marathon

Clara Evans’ wedding preparations were thrown into disarray after an unexpected call-up to the Olympic marathon in Paris.

But after her combative 46th place finish in sweltering heat on Sunday, the Welsh athlete insists she couldn’t be prouder of her achievement as her unforgettable summer in the French capital continued.

Evans, 30, only found out last weekend that she would be flying the flag for Team GB after Charlotte Purdue withdrew due to injury.

But despite her relative inexperience, she led the British squad brilliantly to the finish, crossing the line with a time of 2:33.01, capping a turbulent few days in France.

Evans was cheered by her friends and family who had travelled with her – including her fiancé Paul, whom she will marry in Chepstow on Saturday.

The Pontypridd Roadents runner revelled in her Olympic experience and insists she will cherish her memories of competing on the biggest stage of all.

“It was hard and hot – I wanted to stay strong as long as possible,” she said.

“I was only called up last weekend, so it makes me really proud to be the first one on the British pitch.

“I wasn’t expecting it. I’ve been preparing for my wedding and I’m getting married on Saturday, so it’s been a crazy few weeks.

“I was really emotional and really happy.

“I never thought I would ever make it to the Olympics. I thought I wasn’t good enough, so I’m glad I can be proud of myself.”

Of the presence of her fiancé and family, Evans added: “Paul was out there on the track somewhere!”

“Two kilometers from the finish I saw my family. They usually never watch me run because they look after my dogs, so it was nice to see them.”

Evans beat her two British teammates, while Rose Harvey bravely crossed the finish line in 2:51.03 despite her injuries and Calli Hauger-Thackery failed to finish.

In addition to her Olympic debut and her wedding, Evans also ran a personal best in the half marathon at this summer’s European Championships in Rome, helping Great Britain to a memorable gold medal in the team event.

And she is convinced that her resilience and perseverance were the key to her being able to enjoy a sporty summer on the continent.

“I may not be as fast as other girls, but I am strong and determined on harder courses and I don’t like to be beaten,” added Evans, who became the fastest woman ever to complete a UK parkrun with a time of 15:49 in Cardiff in 2022.

“If they tell me no, I want to prove people wrong.”

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