Former Scotland rugby international Thom Evans will begin a new career in athletics when he lines up in the scottishathletics National Senior Indoor Championships later this month.

Evans was forced into retiring from professional sport two years ago, after sustaining a serious neck injury during a Six Nations tie with Wales.

The 26-year-old has already taken part in a number of indoor meetings in England and has now taken up membership with scottishathletics, with a view to participating in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Evans’ first event in Scotland will take place at Kelvin Hall on February 19, as he participates in the 60 metre sprint.

“I am looking forward to running in Glasgow,” said Evans. “I am excited by the prospect of competing there.

“When I played there for Glasgow Rugby, we used to do warm-ups in the Kelvin Hall in the winter so I am familiar with the arena and the track. I also used to live quite near there.

“At the moment I am simply gaining some race experience in the 60 metres. It is all new but I am enjoying that and the idea is to build some basic sprinting fitness.

“Further down the line I would think there’s more chance I will be looking at 200 metres or 400 metres. That’s more the goal to be honest. You have to start somewhere and get used to actual races as well as training.”