STALWART John Abrams believes it is the right time to stop competitive running after completing his last race at the Eynsham 10k, writes Jack Johnson.

The 80-year-old Witney Road Runner was joined by his eight-year-old granddaughter Amy Nobes as he crossed the finish line to applause from his fellow club members.

Abrams finished in 1hr 11mins 11secs and while he will not give up running, his competitive days are now over.

He explained: “I said some time ago this would be my last race.

“I will still go out two or three times a week, but only a maximum of half-an-hour.

“I have got knee and hip niggles and I can’t see any point in aggravating them.”

Abrams, a founding member of the club 31 years ago, ran with his daughter Alyson Nobes and friend Hannah West.

When he saw his granddaughter Amy near the finish line he invited her to join him as well.

The former police officer, who lives in Witney, added: “Amy was there about 100 yards from the finish line and I said ‘come on, we’ll run in together’. It was fun.”

Witney resident Steve Naylor clinched victory by more than 20 seconds.

The Bedford & County runner, who was wearing his second-claim Woodstock Harriers vest, triumphed in 31.58.

The event was the last round of the Oxon Road Race Championships, with Woodstock’s James Bolton taking the men’s title, Witney’s Tony Lock winning vet 50 gold and teammate Graham Le Good vet 60 bronze.

Woodstock won the men’s team prize.

RESULTS

EYNSHAM 10KM

Witney RR: 24 A Lock (1st V50, County V50 Gold) 36.10, 45 F Howard (V40) 37.43, 61 G Ferris (V50) 38.39pb, 87 M Lock 39.44pb, 92 W Downey 39.51, 100 A Leary 40.07pb, 109 J Floyd 40.28, 117 N Moglia (V50) 40.37, 133 L Davies (LV35) 41.24pb, 135 R Green (V50) 41.25, 144 B Moore (V50) 41.35, 163 J Field (V40) 42.20, 173 C Gibben (V40) 42.36, 177 T Burkett (V50) 42.49pb, 180 G Le Good (3rd V60, County V60 Bronze) 42.54, 214 D Wymer 44.18, 266 J Jones (V40) 46.36, 267 A Church (V50) 46.36, 280 L Garrod (LV45) 47.02, 293 L Holland (LV45) 47.41, 300 J Wright (LV35) 47.44, 309 J Moore (LV35) 48.10, 331 N Moss (V40) 48.34, 341 R Redford (V40) 48.44, 345 S Rhodes (V40) 49.06, 363 T Moss (LV45) 50.13, 399 P Rushby (V50) 51.59, 416 S Reeve (LV35) 52.40, 418 J Le Good (LV55) 52.64, 425 L Hopkins (LV55) 53.02, 515 I Fowler (V50) 59.23, 520 K Holtom (LV35) 59.37, 527 A Caddy (LV55) 60.36, 574 J Abrams (V70) 71.11, 575 H West (LV55) 71.11.