Two years ago, as he lay in a Cardiff hospital after suffering a serious injury during Scotland's Six Nations tie against Wales, Thom Evans thought he might never walk again, let alone run.
The injury left him a millimetre from being paralysed, and ended his rugby career.
But yesterday, the former Scotland winger returned to competitive sport – as a sprinter.
The 26-year-old made his debut north of the Border in the National Senior Indoor Championships at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall where he was cheered on by his girlfriend, the actress and model Kelly Brook.
The ex-Glasgow Warriors player has been exploring athletics since his recovery from the severe neck injury.
In sickening scenes, Evans landed badly in a collision with a Wales player during the game.
He remained on the pitch prostrate before he was taken away by stretcher.
His parents, Brian and Sally, and elder brother Max, a fellow Scottish internationalist, kept a bedside vigil as he recovered and within months he was taking his first steps.
The Zimbabwe-born sportsman is now working with coach Margot Wells, the wife of Scottish Olympic gold medallist Allan, and hopes he can eventually compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
In the stands at the Kelvin Hall, Ms Brook appeared nervous, covering her face with her hands, as she watched Evans make it to the final of the 60 metres event.
She was joined in the audience by the sprinter's mother and brother.
He finished the race in fourth place but secured a personal best time of 7.20 seconds.
Northern Irish athlete Dean Adams took the title in 6.95 seconds.
Evans admitted he had been nervous about his start in the first heat, and was then left frustrated when a much better one counted for nothing as the final false-started.
"I was pretty nervous before the heat because I didn't want to false start on my first competitive appearance," he said. "It was good to be here and get a real feel for athletics.
"Obviously it is a massive difference from the world of rugby where it is a team sport and you can 'play your way into a game' which lasts 80 minutes.
"So it is all new to me but I enjoyed it.
"I want to compete in Scotland during the spring and the summer and that will be over 200 metres and 400 metres.
'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 am ready to start the training for that with the help of my coach, Margot Wells, and her experience and guidance is valuable to me as well as the support from Kelly."
Brook, 31, congratulated all the athletes who had taken part in the event and described it, via Twitter, as "a fantastic day".
Evans and Brook met in a nightclub in December 2010.
The pair have made no comment on rumours of an engagement which emerged last week after she was pictured wearing a large ring on her engagement finger.
Evans's former Glasgow Warriors teammates Al Kel- lock, Johnnie Beattie and Dougie Hall also attended yesterday's event to show their support.
Evans, who won 10 caps for Scotland, was playing in a Six Nations match against Wales on February 13, 2010, when he collided with Welsh player Lee Byrne.
He underwent two operations on his neck and it was revealed that his cervical vertebrae had been knocked out of alignment and he had been only one millimetre from paralysis or death.
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