ABINGDON Amblers’ Paul Fernandez finished fourth in the England Ultra 50K Championships at Boddington – but was just 16 seconds off a silver medal.

The 38-year-old clocked a personal best time of 3hrs 8mins 48secs and hopes to compete for England in October’s IAU Trophy Final.

Paul Martelletti (Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets) won in 2.50.11, but the next four athletes were involved in a titanic battle for second.

Eventually, Dave Mitchinson (Newham & Essex Beagles) took silver in 3.08.32, followed by Russell Maddams (Keswick) in 3.08.45 and then Fernandez, with Colchester’s Allen Smalls fifth in 3.08.53.

Another Abingdon Ambler, Oz Ellis, was seventh in 3.23.45