Mid Atlantic Athletic Club (MAAC) have strengthened their ties with 2016 Olympic hopeful Aaron Evans.Last year saw the club sponsor the elite middle distance runner to the tune of $2,000 which has been increased to $3,000 for the upcoming 2013-14 season.“The Mid Atlantic Athletic Club are thrilled to be able to support Aaron Evans for the 2013-2014 season,” club president Rose-Anna McShane Hoey said. “We sponsored Aaron last year and we decided to renew it this year — in fact we increased our funding.”Hoey said the national 800 metre record holder is more than worthy of the financial award.“Aaron really proved his worth to us by being accepted onto the prestigious Nike Oregon Track Team, and we would like to formally congratulate him for that achievement,” she added. “Aaron is a great role model to young Bermudians and we hope many more follow in his footsteps.”Evans thanked the club for its continued support of his athletic endeavours.“I was very pleased to learn that the MAAC would continue to sponsor me this year,” he said. “I was very excited to hear that the new president, Rose-Anne Hoey, knew about my accomplishments on the track and she and her executives were willing to support my future endeavours as I head into preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games.”The University of Georgia graduate was accepted into the Nike Oregon track team earlier this year and is due to join them in the near future.“I leave for Eugene Oregon next week to get settled into my new apartment that I’ll be sharing with four other NIKE OTCE runners,” he said. “I won’t begin training until October 1.”He added: “The west coast will be the furthest I’ve ever moved from Bermuda. This donation from MAAC will make this transition a lot easier as I can focus on training solely.“Next year is going to be my first real competitive professional season. My ultimate goal would be to run 1:44 in the 800 metres, which would put me in a very good position heading into Commonwealth Games (2014).