STEVE Male and Sophie Carter made it a memorable double for Oxfordshire with victories in the men’s and women’s races at Sunday’s Abingdon Marathon.

A massive field approaching 800 took part in the biggest competitive athletics event in the Oxfordshire calendar, and they were blessed by perfect conditions and some fantastic individual performances.

Male and Carter’s victories were vastly different, but both represented superb achievements nonetheless.

Without a doubt, Male’s win was the most thrilling in recent years.

He tussled neck-and-neck with Beverley’s James Pearson throughout the 26.2-mile course, and won through in a remarkable sprint finish around the track at Tilsley Park.

At the four-mile marker, Male and Pearson had broken clear from the chasing pack, led by Woodstock’s James Bolton.

And by the half-way stage, the lead had extended to some 20 yards, with Abingdon Amblers’ Paul Fernandez some away adrift, but running strongly in hot pursuit.

As the leaders entered the stadium with 300 yards to go Male and Pearson were stillneck-and-neck, but 46-year-old Male made a decisive break to cross the finishing line in 2 hrs 31 mins 46 secs – just three seconds separating him from Pearson.

Fernandez was third in 2.36.42 and Bolton fifth in 2.38.10, which was a personal best, despite having suffered in the latter stages of the race.

Oxford City’s Julian Rich-ardson (sixth in 2.42.44) and Woodstock’s Brian O’Connor (tenth in 2.44.18) were the other Oxfordshire athletes home in the top ten.

The race doubled up as the British Masters Federation Championships, and Fernandez won the gold medal in the vet 35 category, Male winning the vet 45 section.

In the women’s race, Sally Onn, of St Albans Striders was dictating a fast pace and local hopes were resting with Woodstock’s Carter who was lying fourth at the half-way stage.

But the 32-year-old was looking full of running, and her approach to the second half of the race was equally impressive as it was measured.

Carter worked her way steadily through the field, and by the time she entered the stadium, she was out of sight of her main rivals.

Crossing the line in 2.53.55, Carter was nearly three minutes clear of Eton Manor’s Alex Gounelas and more than five minutes in front of early pacesetter Onn.