David Darrell of Warwick Academy bowed out of the senior school boys’ race with a third straight victory as five new winners were crowned in the schools’ mile last night on Front Street.

Darrell was the only runner to defend his title, holding off a strong challenge from the emerging Quincy Kuzyk of Somersfield Academy to win in 4min 55.74sec, nine seconds slower than last year’s winning time of 4:46.12. Kuzyk, who set the early pace, finished seven seconds behind in 5:02.45, while Aaron Jacobs, third last year, was third in 5:05.68.

His time was also slower than the 4:58.66 he posted last year.

“I think this was a really strategic race and I think that was because Tyler Smith wasn’t in the race and they didn’t push the envelope as much,” said Darrell, who was given an early challenge by Kuzyk, three years his junior at just 14.

“Right up until about 200 metres at the lights I think it was his race but at the same time I had something left just in case. The pace was a bit slower, but at the same time we took our time knowing the pace would slowly but surely pick back up.”

Darrell was missing a main challenger with the absence of Smith through injury, but Kuzyk showed the crowd something with a good performance as he battled with Darrell and Jacobs for the top spot.

“Triathletes in these races always seem to do very well because they have all the disciplines, but as a track runner you only see it one way,” the 17-year-old said.

“I wasn’t really worrying about the time, I just wanted to win.”

Kuzyk was pleased with his performance in his first senior school race.

“I just wanted to put it all out there, try my best and come through with the win but it didn’t happen,” he said.

“I lost the lead with about 200 metres to go, but next year I’ll be back and definitely look to take the title.

“I feel really good, I’ll keep training.”

Ashley Irby lived up to expectations, winning the senior school girls’ race at the first attempt after stepping up from the middle school event, where she lowered her record last year.

However, Irby was off last year’s personal best of 5:23.63 although she did run fastest than both Kyrah Scraders and Messiah Greaves last year in that memorable photo finish when they both broke the tape in 5:30.41.

Irby clocked 5:29.32 last night to finish 11 seconds ahead of Lynsey Palmer in 5:40.54 and Mikaela Outerbridge in 5:43.66.

The anticipated battle between Irby and Greaves did not materialise as Greaves was a late withdrawal with a chest infection.

“Last year I did 5:23 so I didn’t get a personal best but I tried,” said Irby, who now has five titles under her belt in three age groups.

“I like it when it is raining. I had Lynsey pushing me at the beginning of the race.”

Irby’s vacated middle school’s title was impressively claimed by Selah Tuzo who followed up her third-place finish last year to win her first middle school title.

Tuzo, who won in a comfortable 5:30.23, never looked back after establishing an early lead over Jessica Marshall as Jade Johnston began to make a strong push, battling Marshall for second.

Johnston, running in her first middle school race after taking the primary school title last year, finished in 5:47.25, just one second ahead of Marshall in 5:48.5.

“I feel good about it, it was a pretty good race,” said Tuzo, who was nine seconds faster than her time in the trials and 15 seconds faster than her winning time a year ago in the younger age group.

“I was a few seconds faster [than the qualifying time] so it shows I’m getting better,” said the Saltus pupil.

Nicholas Pilgrim, of Warwick Academy, claimed Jaden Ming’s vacated middle school boys’ crown when he beat Ryan Outerbridge of Clearwater by four seconds in a close finish as Nirobi Mills of Saltus finished third.

Pilgrim clocked 5:04.46, 13 seconds faster than the 5:17 he posted in the mile trials back in November when he edged out Outerbridge (5:09.2) and Nirobi Mills, who completed the top three again with his finishing time of 5:21.1.

“I’m really happy with my performance, I didn’t really think much about the record [5.01] because I didn’t know it,” Pilgrim said.

“I’ll go for it next time. I’m just happy with the run because it is a PB.

“I just wanted to stay with Ryan until the roundabout and then I tried to kick and it worked.”

Shayla Cann, of Warwick Academy, lived up to her top billing in the primary girls, winning by four seconds over Jasmin Hasselkuss, of Somersfield Academy, and Myeisha Sharrieff, of Elliot Primary.

Cann won in 6:15.24.

A new champion was also crowned in the primary school boys’ race where Jake Brislane of Saltus clocked an impressive time of 5:55.22, 15 seconds faster than his qualifying time.

Jayson Simons of Paget Primary was 18 seconds faster than his qualifying time when he placed second in 5:57.73 while Xavier Lee of Warwick Academy was third in 6:00.15.