Oxford City's veterans won the Southern Counties Veterans Cup at Battersea Park in the face of fierce competition from championship rivals Blackheath & Bromley and Herne Hill Harriers - two major London-based teams.

There were a host of season's best performances from Oxford, who soon found themselves in third place behind Blackheath and a highly-competitive Herne Hill.

In fact, Blackheath had entered the finals favourites, having held the title for the last three years.

With many club members doubling up in events to cover absences and injuries, City started to close in on the leaders and by the lunchtime break, only seven points separated the top three teams.

City's position was strengthened by outstanding performances on the track from Richard Grant, who won both the 1500m and 3000m in the Vet 50 category in season's best times.

Dave Kuester, in the M60 shot put, threw a lifetime best of 10.38m, while Graham Chapman literally walked away with the 2km walk in a time of 9:54.7 - more than half-a -minute ahead of the second-placed competitor.

Dominic Swords again ran under 55 seconds to win the A-string M40 400m.

Five City athletes had a particularly busy day.

Tony Palmer Brown, Tim Osman, Malcolm Taylor, Charlie Sutton and Bruce Hendrie competed in 25 events, and amassed more than 150 points together as they turned their skills to both track and field events.

With just the relays and the final of the shot to go, Oxford had drawn level in first place.

A win in the 4x100m and Kuester's first place in the shot moved City ahead.

Then a second place in the medley relays gave them the edge with City finishing on 295 points to Blackheath's 290.

Team manager John Exley was to see the team prevail after achieving many silver and bronzes in the competition.

He said: "It was a real team effort. Many of us doubled up in events, while others were able to focus on their key events.

"Every point counted as we worked hard and gradually moved up the board to achieve this win."