JOHN Exley claimed the vet 60 title in the South of England Masters Cross Country Championships at Trent Park, London.

Exley clocked 41 mins 17secs for the arduous six-mile course to also lead his Oxford City side to the vet 60 team title, narrowly defeating favourites Brighton & Hove.

He was well supported by Dave Parsons, who finished sixth and Roy Treadwell, who was eighth.

Exley was ‘outside the radar’ of the favoured athletes, not having run too well for the past two years.

But after a fast first lap he was poised to take the lead and from then on, he slowly stretched out the field to win in the end by over half a minute.

Headington Roadrunner Chris Dettmar claimed the bronze medal in the vet 40 category in 34.58 after an impressive showing.

Dettmar was always up in the top three, who broke away from the rest of the field early on the first lap.

But he appeared to be losing ground on the second lap and as if he may be caught by Andy Wier from Thames Hare & Hounds.

Dettmar rallied well on the last lap and comfortably came in for bronze.

Oxford City missed out on a vet 50 team medal, with Phil Huxley, Trevor Dixon, Stewart Thorp and Richard Grant beaten into fourth.

OTHER RESULTS

VET 40

Headington Roadrunners: S Taverner 37.38

Oxford City: A Gleeson 40.25, R Webster 45.22

VET 50

Oxford City: P Huxley 39.40, T Dixon 40.13, R Grant 40.48, S Thorp 41.02.

VET 60

Oxford City: D Parsons 42.51, R Treadwell 43.05.