Aaron Evans, the Bermuda 800 metres runner, must shatter his personal best to achieve his lifelong ambition of qualifying for the Olympic Games.

Evans, who is in the midst of a ten-week training camp in Bahamas, needs to run 1min 46sec — his personal best is 1:46.26 — to reach the standard for this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.

The Team Run Eugene athlete said he was determined to ensure there is no repeat of the disappointment he experienced four years ago when he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the London Olympics.

“My only goal in 2016 is to qualify for the Olympics,” said Evans, who turned 26 last weekend. “I was so close in 2012 and I’ve been better every year since then.

“Most athletes still don’t know if they’re going to the Olympics because their trials are not until June, so this is not an unusual position for athletes to be in.

“For me, not having reached the standard yet adds a little more excitement because everyone is watching and waiting to see my results in each race.

“The most important factor in achieving the standard is just staying healthy and training smart.”

Evans has a burning ambition to make a statement in Rio as one of the top 800 metres runners in the Caribbean region, and believes he can build on his performances at last summer’s Pan Am Games in Toronto, where he finished sixth in the final.

“I don’t just want to go to the Olympics,” he said. “I have a point to prove as one of the best 800 metres runners in our region, so advancing as far into the rounds as possible is my goal.

“I’ve made it to the semi-final and final of the last two big competitions, the Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, so it’s only right that I do the same at the Olympics.”

Since breaking Steve Burgess’s 800 national record in North Carolina in 2010, Evans has suffered a succession of injuries, including a plantar fasciitis, known as jogger’s heel, a fractured heal and metatarsal, as well as a pulled hamstring.

He feels certain, however, that his injury woes are firmly behind him as he prepares for the most important season of his career.

“The past few years, I’ve got to a certain point where I was on the brink of running fast but ended up getting injured because my body couldn’t handle the demands,” he said.

“I’ve had some serious injuries over the past few years but I’ve still been consistently running 1:47 without being able to get all the necessary training and racing in.

“Improving my strength is a big factor in keeping me healthy. I know I’m capable of running a really fast time and there’s no doubt in my mind that I will be in Rio this summer.”

Evans believes his injury setbacks stem from a misguided approach to training, focusing too much on endurance rather than speed work, particularly during his time at the Oregan Track Club Elite.

Since making the necessary changes to his programme with the help of George Cleare, his University of Georgia coach, Evans said his body has never felt better and that his buoyant self-confidence had returned.

“I’m feeling great at the moment, I have a lot of belief in myself and my training because I know all I need to do is stay healthy,” said Evans, whose season starts at the Florida Relays in April.

“I’m a speed-based runner and need to cater to my strengths. When I moved to Oregon in 2013 I was pushed to increase my weekly mileage from 25 miles a week to 50 miles and I believe this caused tremendous stress on my lower limbs.

“Now I’m back down to 20-30 miles per week, training alongside people like Steven Gardiner, the Bahamian 400 record holder, and this change will help me stay healthy because the philosophy is different.”