Welsh runner steps up to represent Team GB in Paris as Purdue's bad luck with the Olympics continues

Charlotte Purdue's Olympic curse continued when she was forced to withdraw from the marathon at the Paris Games with an ankle injury.

The good news is that Clara Evans is able to get an opportunity to race and will make her debut at the Olympics after some fine performances in recent months.

Purdue sits No.3 on the UK all-time rankings with 2:22:17 from last year, but she has had an injury-hit build-up to the Paris Games.

Evans, however, ran a Welsh record of 2:25:01 in Valencia in December and the 30-year-old was recently ninth in the half-marathon at the European Championships in Rome.

The Cardiff-based transport planner runs for Pontypridd Roadents and told AW earlier this year: “If I make the Olympic team, I’ll be really happy, and if I don’t there will be other opportunities. I’m healthy and happy."

The 33-year-old Purdue has made teams for world championship marathons but never had the chance to run in the Olympics during an otherwise long and successful career. In 2021 she was controversially overlooked for selection for Tokyo, too, saying she felt like she'd been "thrown under a bus" by selectors.

READ MORE: Clara Evans' training schedule

After being named in the GB team earlier this year, Purdue said: "So much hard work has gone into this moment – 12 years ago I set myself the goal of making an Olympic team. From countless setbacks, injuries, illnesses and then bouncing back from the biggest disappointment of my career in 2021 – I can’t say that it’s been easy."

The women's Olympic marathon is on August 11 with Calli Thackery-Hauger and Rose Harvey also in the British team.

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