Chayce Smith and Nicole Andreasen put in winning performances during the Swan’s Labour Day Five Miles road race to secure the men’s and women’s titles, respectively.

Smith, 28, dominated the event and quickly stretched away from the field of 59 finishers. In the opening mile, Trevor Lindsay, 53, displayed admirable determination as he tried to stay with the leader, but Smith was in a class of his own and won in 28min 48sec, more than five minutes clear of his nearest rival.

Teenager Akim Johnston, who was second in the junior race last year, stepped up in distance and delivered an eye-catching performance as he finished runner-up in 34:28. The 16-year-old track athlete, who has run 4:51 for 1,500 metres, said he wanted to challenge the men in the main race. In the hot conditions, he maintained a controlled pace, working his way up to second place in the latter stages.

“I just kept going and never looked back,” he said.

Jahmai Lottimore, 31, was next to finish in 34:51. “It was hot and tough,” he said. “I tried to hang with Akim. I’m happy with my run.”

Andreasen, the women’s winner who moved to Bermuda this year, is aiming to compete in the New York City Marathon in November, and has been putting in the miles during early-morning training sessions when it is relatively cooler.

The 24-year-old said she felt the warmer conditions of the Labour Day race, which started at 8.30am outside the Bermuda Industrial Union’s headquarters on Union Street.

Andreasen, who won in 40:14, was aware she was being closely followed by eventual runner-up Tammy Hall and dug deep to maintain her lead.

“At the last roundabout, I heard one of the race officials call out to her, so I knew she was just behind me,” she said.

Hall, 32, stayed with Andreasen during the first half-mile, but then a 20-second gap was opened. However, by the end of the race, Hall had whittled the gap to seven seconds, crossing the finish line in 40:21.

“I was looking to break 40 minutes,” said Hall, who is training for a half-marathon in Philadelphia. “I did this race four years ago and ran 40:08.”

Third woman was Jenene Douglas, 45, who finished in 43:57. “I’m just starting back up,” she said.

“It is good to do the first race of the season. I didn’t expect to come in the top three. I knew there were two ladies ahead of me, but I didn’t know if there were any others.

“I stuck with it, especially in the last mile.”

Douglas plans to compete in the PartnerRe 5K next month.

A 1.5-mile junior race was won by Iziah Tucker, 12, in 7:48, ahead of Jake Brislane, 10, in 8:24, and Yari Tucker, 11, in 8:26.

The first girl to finish was Jade Johnston, 11, in 9:33, followed by Kimora Rubaine, 12, in 9:53, and Zahra Wilson, 15, in 9:56.

The five-mile walk was won by Gary Young in 57:33, followed by Robert Thomas in 58:34 and Joseph Matthew in 58:40.

First woman was Sheena Young in 59:42, ahead of Gilda Cann in 1:01:52 and Mariae Dixon in 1:08:19.