Tom Evans kickstarts 2024 with Cross Country success – and makes it a family double

Ultrarunning star Tom Evans began 2024 with a clear-cut victory in the men’s senior race at the Leicestershire & Rutland Cross Country Championships over the weekend.

The 2023 campaign saw the highest of highs as he became the first British man to win the prestigious Western States 100.

But it also featured a starkly contrasting low when he was mugged at knifepoint while on a training run on Table Top Mountain ahead of an intended appearance at the Ultra Trail Cape Town (UTCT).

Family double!

Writing on Instagram just before Christmas he said: “Not going to lie, it’s been tough since getting back from Cape Town and I have spent lots of time working on my mental health.

“Happy to report that I am back training and planning for a big 2024!

“Thanks to everyone for all the support, it means the world and I hope to see you out on the trails soon!”

And his first appearance of the new year proved a memorable one at the other end of the distance spectrum to his usual races – over 10km on muddy terrain in Leicestershire.

For not only did he win in emphatic fashion by 57 seconds with a time of 35 minutes exactly, but he was also making it a family double as his wife Sophie Coldwell, the Team GB triathlete, had earlier claimed the senior women’s title over 2km shorter as she got the better of her good friend Liv Matthias.

Writing on Instagram afterwards, she said: “Ran a muddy 8km with my best mate today, didn’t fall over, didn’t twist my ankle and had some fun! All in all, worth coming out of XC retirement for 🤓.

“Also, maybe the 1st husband and wife team to win senior county titles in the same year?!”