MATT BOWSER: EUROPEAN CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION 2006?

“As with many athletes of Matt’s age,” chortled the BBC Lincolnshire website in 2007, “it’s the Beijing Olympics that are at the forefront of his mind rather than London in 2012”. Listing Bowser as one of “Lincolnshire's stars of 2012”, the article’s scribe - Tom Brown - cooed over the Lincolnshire man's "new personal best set earlier in 2007". Brown's story also contained a revelation that will come as news to many in the athletics world: “Previous achievements in his career also include winning the Men’s Senior Race at the European Cross Country Championships in 2006”. Really? Surely this couldn’t be the same European Championships that the BBC’s very own website hailed an impressive Mo Farah as he “blazed his way to victory” in the very same race? Could it? Oddly, the European Athletics Association have no recollection of a Matthew Bowser representing Great Britain at any age group category that year. By pure coincidence, a certain Bowser was busy recording a personal record for 10km at the Leeds Abbey Dash on November 26th- the very same weekend of the Team GB trial race in Liverpool. There is no record of him competing again that season. Happily, the European success is listed as Bowser’s “Greatest Achievement to Date” and his coach of the time rated his chances of making it to 2012 as “good”. Great work, Matt. Next stop that illusive world record!