A HEREFORD runner helped Britain to clinch team bronze in the women’s world athletics half marathon championships.

Clara Evans, who was raised in Hereford, finished 22nd in the event covering the 13 miles in a season best time of one hour, 10 minutes and 53 seconds.

Battling against hot conditions in Latvia the Herefordshire runner was 28th after the first five kilometres and then worked her way forward.

Evans was the third British athlete home and alongside Calli Thackery (seventh), Samantha Harrison (ninth) and Abbie Donnelly (25th) the quartet finished third team in a combined time of three hours 29 minutes 15 seconds.

“The race was a later start than we are used to starting at 1.30pm, which meant it was quite hot and very windy,” said Evans.

“I went off in the second group and tried to finish strongly. To come 22nd in the world is pretty special and to get a team bronze is something that you dream about.”

Evans next has the Valencia marathon in December on her schedule.

The 29-year-old was born and raised in Hereford and started her love for athletics from the age of eight.

Evans competed in school cross-country races and for Hereford Athletics with her first race being over 800 metres which was when Evans decided that middle-distance running was suited more for her.

Attending Trinity Primary School, the talented youngster was coached by Nichola Tyler and used to beat all of her boy classmates in cross country running.

Evans competed for Herefordshire and was then coached by Vic Tarrant, ghost runner John Tarrant’s brother.

Needing better competition Evans then went to train at Worcester Athletics Club.

Evans was winning races in the Herefordshire Cross Country League at the age of 16.

At the age of 20 she moved out of Herefordshire to study geography at Cardiff University.