Warwick Academy pupil Taylor-Ashley Bean and Berkeley Institute student Shaquille Dill won the Senior School Girls and Boys' titles respectively after contesting two fierce Front Street Mile races last night.

Bean bettered her third-place performance from last year, outpacing school-mates as she crossed the finish line in a time of five minutes, 26.6 seconds . . . although she didn't take line honours.

That went instead to guest runner, Kaley Hook from California, who was allowed to compete but not for first prize. Hook finished four seconds ahead of Bean in 5:22.2 and was presented with a participation medal.

But the decision didn't take away from Bean's victory as she heaped praise on all those who competed.

"It was a good race by all the girls, especially from the girl from California. She pushed us all the whole way," said Bean. "I knew what I had to do going into the race and as we came close to the finish I thought I could catch her but didn't.

"Overall, I enjoyed it and is pleasing to do better this time around."

Warwick Academy sisters Ashley (5:48.3) and Megan Berry (6:06.1) finished second and third respectively.

In the High School Boys' race, Dill needed a late surge to pip Juma Mouchette who led the race for a lengthy spell.

The pair, along with defending champion Henry Stevens-Carty, went stride for stride before Mouchette started to distance himself from the others at the three-quarter-mile mark.

But it wasn't to be for the youngster as his 15-metre lead was quickly wiped out, leaving Dill to burst ahead to cross the line in 4:38.9. Mouchette was less than a second behind in 4:39.8. Stevens-Carty was clocked in 4:41.7 to take third.

After the race, a tired Dill could barely speak when asked of his strategy.

"It was a good, hard race by all of us and I would like to thank my parents, coaches and all those who have helped me," he said.

"I worked hard through my markers and just tried to do my best and my best got me to the finish line first."

Kyrah Schraders was the pick of the Middle School Girls as the Dellwood Primary student ran away with the race, finishing in a sensational time of 5:31.1 – faster than the Middle School Boys' winner.

Second place went Zakiyyah Showers (5:43.0) of Sandys Secondary School and third Molly Pilgrim (5:46.3) of BHS.

In perhaps the tightest race of the school events, the Middle School Boys,– Nakeno Creighton (5:32.6) of Clearwater managed to hold off a late charge from David Darrell (5:33.7) and Jeremiah Steed (5:35.8), who finished second and third respectively.

Quinnae Outerbridge of BHS won the Primary Girls in a time of 6:19.3, while Messiah Greaves placed second in 6.36.0 and Victor Scott's Briquana Santucci (6:42.0) finished third.

Somerset Primary's Evan Heyliger (5:49.1) held off Charlie Keyes of Saltus (5:55.5) and Haile Eve of Somerset Primary (5:56.2) in a highly entertaining Primary Boys race to win his first Front Street Mile.