Lamont Marshall has smashed his way into the Island's athletics record books by running the fastest 10K road race by a Bermudian.

He set a new mark of 31 minutes and two seconds in the Capital Company's Washington Veterans Day 10K in the US at the weekend.

Finishing fourth overall in a race with 2,600 runners, the Devonshire athlete took nine seconds off Kevin Pearson's 26-year-old official record to become the fastest Bermudian over the 6.2-mile distance on the roads.

While no Bermudian has gone faster on the roads, Kavin Smith remains the holder of the absolute record having achieved 30.29 in a track race in the UK in 1995.

Islanders will get a chance to see Marshall in action on home ground this Sunday as he seeks to win the Bacardi 8K race for a third consecutive year.

His father and coach Larry Marshall sr said: "He is feeling good. He ran the first mile in 4.36, which was a little too quick as he got sucked up with the leaders. The three guys who eventually beat him were all Ethiopians.

"That first mile took something out of him but he was still able to recover. He is definitely mixing it with quality runners now. This result is really encouraging; it is a personal best by 37 seconds and a new Bermudian record by nine seconds."

During the race Marshall was clocked going through the five-mile mark in 24.47.

Marshall sr said: "He is feeling confident now and he is going for a sub-25 time in the Bacardi race."

Marshall is undefeated in the Bacardi 8K race, which is now in its third year. His course record, set last year, is 25.28.

Also competing in Washington DC was Southampton runner Otis Robinson. He was 37th overall and third in his age division in a time of 36.58.

Robinson had been suffering the effects of flu going into the race but said he was happy with what he had achieved and commented that the weather conditions had been ideal for racing.

"I took off fairly conservatively and ran the first mile in 5.30 and then did 5.50s. Towards the end I got into a battle with the women chasing third place in their race," he said.

The 10K was won by Abiyot Endale in 30.11.

■ Runner Carol Griffith marked her latest birthday by taking part in a marathon race in the US and she had plenty to celebrate as she finished 54th in her age division in the Richmond Marathon in Virginia.

It was the 15th marathon of her career and Griffith, 48, of Warwick, ran a time of four hours, 13 minutes and one second to take 545th place in the women's race. She managed to keep a level pace throughout, passing the halfway point in 2:05.

The race was won by Jynocel Basweti (Kenya) in 2.18.28, while the fastest in the women's race was Salome Kosgei (USA) in 2.40.51.

■ One of the newest and most popular Island road races returns this Sunday with the third annual running of the Bacardi 8K. The event attracted 220 runners and 91 walkers last year, and starts and finishes at the headquarters of Bacardi on Pitts Bay Road.

Remarkably the 2007 men's and women's winners in both the 8K race and walk all retained their titles in 2008. Lamont Marshall is the undefeated men's champion and his course record, set last year, stands at 25.28.

Victoria Fiddick is the undefeated women's champion and, like Marshall, she set the current course record a year ago when she ran 31.13.

In the 8K walk Sinclair Smith and Davina Dickinson are the respective men's and women's two-time champions. Smith's course record is 51.32, and Dickinson's is 53.41.

This year the prize list has been extended to include top three awards for runners aged 60 and over.

Entries for the 8K must be returned to Sportseller in Washington Mall, or the Bacardi HQ by 5 p.m. today. Entries can also be made online at www.bermudatiming.bm

Late entries can be made on Friday and Saturday only during race number pick-up at Bacardi. The race walk starts at 8.30 a.m. and the 8K road race at 9 a.m.

■This Saturday is the fifth and final Bermuda Track and Field Association Cross-Country Series race. It will be held at the Arboretum. Entries will be taken on the day from 8 a.m. The juniors' race starts at 8.30 a.m. with seniors around 9 a.m.

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