Marathon effort as Pavey sets sights on GB team place

fill the remaining places in Team GB.

Hawkins ran a superb personal best at London last year to book his Rio berth and was followed home by the surprise of the day, Tsegai Tewelde, who clocked 2:12:23 on his debut.

The Shettleston-based athlete won’t be able to sneak under the radar this year when he will be expected to take one of the two remaining slots in the men’s contest.

Former European 10,000m silver medallist Chris Thompson and London 2012 Olympian Scott Overall are most likely to challenge him for the honour of being first Briton home.

Fife AC’s Andrew Lemoncello last finished a marathon in 2015, winning the Las Vegas event.

The Flagstaff-based athlete is optimistic, however, that he can better his personal best of 2:13.40 when he placed eighth in London, the leading UK athlete.

A time of 65 minutes and 48 seconds when finishing sixth at last October’s Glasgow Half marathon has been the spur to upping the mileage over the Arizona trails this winter.

There are Seven World Para Athletics Marathon World Cup races for wheelchair and ambulant athletes in London, with Fife AC Rio Paralympian Derek Rae featuring.

The Kirkcaldy athlete took four minutes from his personal best to finish fifth at the 2015 World Championships, and last year set an unofficial British record when he was fifth in 2:37.28.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Picture: PA. Hoping to earn a chance to add to her medal haul: Jo Pavey.