Claude Peter-Thomas has laid that old saying ‘Jack of all trades and Master of none’ well and truly to rest.

The Blackburn Harriers Mens’ Track and Field captain has proved he is the ‘Master of all Trades’ by winning the British Masters’ National Decathlon Championship at Oxford.

In athletics, ‘Master’ is gradually replacing the term ‘Veteran’ for someone over 40 – and at 46, he won his title in the 45-49 age band.

What is remarkable about Claude is that until this season, he had never done a decathlon.

For Blackburn he sprints, jumps and hurdles but in four of the events – 400m, 1500m, discus and shot – he was a complete novice.

That didn’t stop him going all the way to America for his first competition, the USA Combined Events Masters Championships at Joplin in Missouri.

He said “I didn’t really have a clue what was going on.” But it didn’t show as he finished second behind the All-American champion with a score that ranks him second for his age in the States.

His effort of 6.16 metres in the long jump also ranks him second and he rates in the top 10 in two other events – sixth in the 110m hurdles with 16.02 seconds and ninth in the 100m with 11.54 seconds.

Earlier in the season he had won the silver medal in the five discipline pentathlon at the British Masters Championship, and in September he was back at the same Oxford venue for the decathlon.

He ended the competition with 700 points in hand over his nearest challenger.