Ambitious Evans signs for Nike team

Bermudian middle-distance runner Aaron Evans aims to use his Nike sponsorship to catapult himself on to the global stage and realise his Olympic dream.

In October, Evans, 23, will move to Oregon to join the Nike Oregon Track Club Elite, who scouted him during his time as a collegiate runner at the University of Georgia, and offered him a coveted place on the team as a prospect they think can eventually compete at the top level.

Being part of a company as significant as Nike is a major step for Evans, as is moving to a club that includes the likes of world-record holder and Olympic decathlon gold medallist Ashton Eaton and Sally Kipyego, who claimed silver in the 10,000m at the London Games.

Evans told the Bermuda Sun: “I would like to become the first Bermudian not only to run but place in an Olympic final on the track.

“To do this I would like to establish myself as the best 800m runner in our Central American and Caribbean region.

“Other than the Olympics I would like to medal at the Commonwealth Games next summer and also the Pan- American Games 2015.

“Now that I have this great opportunity to move to Oregon and train with some of the
best athletes in the world and use all the resources and technology that Nike has to offer, I see all of these dreams becoming a reality.”

Evans caught the eye at university, where he starred as a track athlete and picked up four coveted All-American selections over five years.

He graduated in May with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and is currently back in in Bermuda preparing for the next stage of his career.

Evans added: “I used to watch track and field on TV when I was younger and wished that I could be on TV doing what they were doing, and be able to run for a shoe company.

“Now that all of this is happening it’s truly a blessing.

“Not many Bermudians or anybody from the Caribbean in my event has done that.

“It just goes to show that you can be anything you want to be in life if you dream big and work hard.”