BERNIE Jones has travelled a shorter distance, but with the same devastating speed, to retain two athletics titles.

The Cuddington runner won the Welsh Veterans and Welsh Inter Counties cross country titles for the second year running - but this time he only needed one race in Swansea as opposed to two, in Cardiff and Pontypool, last year.

Even the attentions of a loose dog on the Singleton Park course couldn't prevent Bernie, one of the oldest runners in his category, staying in a small leading group for three of the four laps.

He then made his break for home at the start of the final lap and comfortably retained his title to round off a successful year.

Bernie, 44, recently finished 11th in a veterans international cross country event in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and in 2002 also won the British Masters Indoor 3,000m Championship.

Gareth Williams also made the journey to Swansea for the Welsh Inter Counties race and finished 23rd in a top class field that included Olympian Andrew Jones.

Both athletes train with Vale Royal Athletics Club on Tuesdays at Rudheath Leisure Centre and on Thursdays at Knight's Grange.