Rising star Henry James was too hot for his rivals as he made light of the baking heat to win the Evesham 10K.

The Western Tempo runner, who is still only 19, surged to victory in 33 minutes, 13, seconds, some 44 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

The one-time Sir Thomas Rich’s School pupil has been supported by CASS & Friends in years gone by and it was fitting that Fiona Carter, the driving force behind the Cotswolds-based sporting charity, was in Evesham to see him claim his victory in such emphatic style.

Carter, a keen athlete herself, was running a cake stall to raise funds for her charity and she remains in close contact with James, so much so that he’s now supporting her.

“He’s my coach,” she said. “He and his dad set up Proven Performance Coaching in the new year and I asked him if he wanted me to be his guinea pig, I’d never been coached before.”

So how’s it going?

“Very well,” she said. “I ran a fast 10K in Bourton and had a good middle distance world duathlon championships in Denmark. I’m running the London Marathon in October and the Valencia Marathon in December.”

James’ dad, David, a professor at the University of Gloucestershire, was a top junior modern pentathlete back in the day, winning the British Junior Modern Pentathlon title in 1992.

Carter, meanwhile, headed over to East Glos in Cheltenham after the Evesham 10K for a community get-together for all the athletes currently being supported by CASS & Friends. The 18 athletes, who specialise in a wide range of sports from boxing to trampolining, receive financial sport from CASS & Friends as well as help with the mental side of sport and advice on nutrition.

“Our patron Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards was at East Glos along with the athletes’ parents, it was a great evening,” said Carter.