Chayce Smith ramped up the speed in the final stages of the Swan’s Five Flat Miles road race to secure victory and a cool $?250 prize.

He outpaced runner-up Ryan Wilson by three seconds to win in exactly 29 minutes.

First woman, and third overall, was Ashley Estwanik who impressed with a time of 29 mins 38 secs. Estwanik is due to race in the New York Half Marathon later this month.

Good conditions and a flat course, starting at West Pembroke Primary School on North Shore Road and ending at the Shelly Bay parking lot in Hamilton Parish, helped runners to some speedy times.

Teenager Daniel Oatley was the early leader, running around 5:30 for the opening mile. Among the leading pursuers were Wilson, Estwanik, Smith and 16-year-old David Darrell.

It was Smith’s first road race since his impressive 4:15 in the KPMG Invitational Elite Front Street Mile in January.

Smith, who was sidelined with an Achilles injury last month, said his strategy was to increase his pace towards the end of the race. He is looking forward to testing himself again in the Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10K on Sunday.

Third man to finish, and fourth overall, was 16-year-old Darrell. The winner of January’s Senior School Boys’ Front Street Mile, Darrell caught up with early leader Oatley at the three-mile point of the race. He and Estwanik were running side-by-side until the start of the final mile in Flatts when Estwanik pulled ahead. Darrell finished in 29:59.

With an 800m time of 2:05 and a 1500m mark of 4:24, the teenager is looking to shave a few seconds from those times to gain Carifta Games qualification.

In the women’s race Victoria Fiddick was the nearest rival to Estwanik for much of the race, but the fast improving Laura Wright took the runner-up slot in 33:11, ahead of Fiddick by 17 seconds.

In the walking event, the first to finish was Gilda Cann in 1hr 2 mins 28 sec, followed by Kemda Bean and Verlencia Aberdeen.

A total of 75 runners and eight walkers completed yesterday’s event.