Athletics / London Marathon: Evans comes through his hell

WHEN the television cameras can drag themselves away from the figures of Liz McColgan and Lisa Ondieki in tomorrow's race, viewers are likely to see a mop of fair hair establishing itself at the business end of the men's race, writes Mike Rowbottom. It belongs to Paul Evans, 32, who came fifth in last year's event and 11th in the Olympic 10,000m final.

His progress until last year was steady - the pounds 15,600 he received as Britain's highest-placed runner in the 1990 Sun Life Great Race allowed him to remain in the sport after he was made redundant from his job in a shoe factory near his home in Lowestoft.

After his performance in the London, he showed further evidence of his character by running an Olympic qualifying mark shortly before the deadline in the unlikely surrounds of the Tooting Bec track.

He showed he was in the right shape recently by breaking the course record at the Reading half-marathon. His international experience has seasoned him as an athlete. He is aiming to win and he might just do so.