OXFORDSHIRE athletics was humiliated on Saturday when the senior men's team were unable to record a team result in the Reebok CAU UK Inter-Counties Cross Country at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

Three runners rang manager Barrie Strange the night before and cried off. With one runner failing to finish, Oxon didn't have the six finishers required for a team result.

University runner Jeremy Bradley was the first Oxon man home. He was pursued by Banbury's Simon Pritchard and White Horse Harrier Steve McGuigan.

However, Mathew Ashton restored some creditability for the county. He finished 50th to lead the Oxon Under 15's in to a respectable 19th place from 42 counties. The under 13s finished 39th out of 41. The senior women came 16th overall and were led in by Headington Roadrunner Allison Hirst who was 85th.

Radley Ladies' Hattie Dean came 28th in the under 20 race while Francis Briscoe came 65th in the under 17 race. Her White Horse Harriers teammate Jo Rhodes was 73rd in the under 15 race and Caroline Plateau was 45th in the under 13s.

RESULTS

Senior men: 121 J Bradley (Ox Uni), 177 S Pritchard (Banbury), 216 S McGuigan (White Horse), T Thetford (Headington), 268 E Fountain (Ox Uni).

Under 20: 94 R Dean (Vale of Aylesbury), 152 A Flynn (Bicester).

Under 17: 147 I Duncan (Ox City), 220 M Browne (Abingdon School), 240 D Prickett (Bicester).

Under 15: 50 M Ashton (Witney), 75 S Scott (Oxford City), 124 D Bellinger (Oxford City), 136 C Gillespie (White Horse), 145 L Haines (Witney), 233 O Bristow (White Horse).

Under 13: 200 N Flynn (Bicester) 232, O Parsons (Oxford), 253 B Galbraith (Abingdon Amblers), 265 J Hill (Abingdon Amblers).

Story date: Wednesday 16 February

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