Paul Fernandez fought back from a two-minute deficit to claim a superb victory in his home town Abingdon Marathon.

At the six-mile mark, the Abingdon Ambler trailed early leader James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers) by 150 metres, with White Horse Harriers’ Paul Jegou in fourth.

Entering Milton Park for the first time at the nine-mile stage, Bolton, who will be 40 in two weeks, had stretched his lead to 250m – and by 18 miles was more than two minutes ahead.

But with five miles to run, Bolton was beginning to feel the strain and Fernandez gradually began to close the gap.

With just over a mile to run, the host club runner swept past Bolton to secure victory in 2hrs 32mins 2secs, almost two minutes ahead of Army champion Mark Greenwood, who clocked 2.33.53.

Bolton held on for third in a personal best time of 2.34.06.

Jegou finished 14th, just 14 seconds outside his personal best.

The women’s race was won by veteran 45 Reading Road Runner Liz Hartney in 2.52.14.

The best-placed Oxfordshire woman was Alchester’s Sam Usher, who registered 3.08.21 in 135rd place.

ABINGDON MARATHON TIMES
(Senior men unless stated)
Abingdon Amblers: 1 P Fernandez 2.32.02, 6 M Browne 2.43.05, 44 R Kemp 2.54.47, 58 L Newell 2.57.06, 60 C Bedford (V40) 2.57.06, 109 N Barwick (V40) 3.02.34, 116 S Convers-Reignier 3.04.54, 172 J lenik 3.13.13, 316 I Dornan (LV35) 3.31.53, 363 C Bolton 3.38.54, 408 S Twinn (LV6) 3.45.26, 430 J Wiblin (LV35) 3.48.27, 517 S Douglas (LV45) 3.57.24, 600 A James (LV50) 4.18.23, 699 P Groves (V50) 4.52.10.
Woodstock H: 3 J Bolton 2.34.06 (pb), 20 D Cantwell (V40) 2.48.47pb, 55 H Price 2.56.58.
Oxford City: 21 E Mezzetti 2.48.49pb, 57 D Bellinger 2.57.06, 59 J Richardson (V40) 2.57.07, 61 A Burgess 2.57.07, 539 P Kimber (MV60) 4.01.27.
Headington Road Runners: 28 Y Fitsakis 2.52.01, 64 R Stewart 2.57.34, 69 L Faulkner 2.57.54, 115 J Leitch (SL) 3.04.44, 174 M Richards (V50) 3.13.36, 186 E Flouri (FV35)| 3.14.32, 96 F Bailey (V40) 3.29.16, 432 A Brown 3.48.43, 434 P Lister (V50) 3.48.51, 442 R Treadwell (V40) 3.50.02, 639 G Day (V40) 4.30.29, 697 H Nickau (V50) 4.50.09.
Didcot Runners: 218 R Sharpe (V40) 3.18.36, 269 P Thomas (V50) 3.25.29, 376 T Reddy 3.40.58, 394 L White (LV35) 3.42.37, 423 E Naughton (SL) 3.46.37, 433 S Powell (LV40) 3.48.46, 492 S Hewerdine (V45) 3.55.23, 580 S Howes 4.11.47, 598 J Shand (LV45) 4.17.36, 649 J Scarborough (V60) 4.32.09, 726 M Pedzik (V40) 5.32.50.
White Horse Harriers: 14 P Jegou 2.47.31, 684 J Smeddle (V50) 4.46.15.
Eynsham Roadrunners: 237 D Bridges (LV35) 3.21.26, 259 G Bridges (V40) 3.24.49, 260 N Clark (V50) 3.24.56, 381 N Roberts 3.41.27, 630 S Butler (V40) 4.25.55.
Witney Roadrunners: 117 A Reynolds (V50) 3.05.15, 179 G Hunter (V50) 3.13.58, 188 D Swann 3.14.31, 422 L McArthur (LV35) 3.46.25, 471 M Johnson (V40) 3.53.49, 613 E Clinkard 4.21.48.
Hook Norton Harriers: 54 D Tame (V40) 2.56.54, 460 H Williams (V50) 3.52.04, 519 G Hackland (V40) 3.57.17.
Alchester: 135 S Usher (LV35) 3.08.21, 313 M Clay (V40) 3.31.01, 345 W Hunter (LV35) 3.35.57, 588 C Foulkes 4.14.08, 589 D Walker (V40) 4.14.17.
Oxford Tri: 148 S Smith 3.09.50, 252 N Hales 3.23.08, 666 G Rees (V40) 4.39.00.
Radley: 253 K Young (SL) 3.23.34, 480 D Kitching (V40) 3.53.52.
Banbury Harriers: 526 T Petruso (V40) 3.58.35.
Unattached: 727 R Brown (V50) 5.33.59, 728 L Brown (SL) 5.33.59.