Swindon is proud of Matthew O'Dowd's success in qualifying for the European cross-country championships.

But the town, which hasn't been able to provide him with adequate training facilities, can take little credit for the 24-year-old runner's achievement in winning the Reebok Margate Cross Challenge.

Matthew, who chose to train at Loughborough, is at a disadvantage in his home town because, although Swindon Harriers are now in Britain's elite league, they have the use of a track with only six, instead of eight, lanes. They also lack the decent changing accommodation and other amenities which would go with such a track.

So they can't host meetings attended by the cream of Britain's runners. You cannot expect athletes with Olympic potential to get their kit off in the middle of a field.

It's a crying shame that a sportsman of O'Dowd's calibre has had to go outside his home town to find the training facilities he needs. Hopefully this will be remedied if Terry Brady achieves his ambitious plans for a new football and sports stadium on the Front Garden. This, however, is a long way off.

In the meantime, we congratulate Matthew O'Dowd, and wish him the very best of luck. He richly deserves it.