Close to 900 participants are expected to take part in the 19th Telford Electric Magic Mile on Saturday.

The Magic Mile, which will be held at the National Sports Centre, is one of the most popular junior events on the sports calendar.

Runners are aged between 4 and 15.

Cal Simons, the race director along with Wayne Raynor, said: “We would like to get close to 1,000 athletes, but if we can get to last year’s target of 900, then we will be pleased,” Simons said.

“This is one of the major junior races on the Island and it has grown drastically over the years.

“We pride ourselves on the organisation of the event.

“One thing we would like to stress is the pick-up of race numbers so that children and parents alike aren’t running around minutes before racing.”

Bermuda Pacers Track Club are again organising the event, which starts at noon with the quarter-mile races for four-year-olds while six and seven-year-olds will run the half-mile course of two laps around the track.

The older age groups will compete over the mile distance, which includes covering a course in the Arboretum before finishing at the NSC.

Race numbers can be collected at the cricket pavilion between 8.30am and 11am.

All athletes will receive a T-shirt, while the top three runners from each age group will receive medals and trophies.

The school with the most entrants that finish the pre-school, primary school, and middle school races will also receive a trophy.

Last year’s winners were Southampton Preschool, Elliot Primary, and TN Tatem Middle School.

A donation of $200 will go towards each winner’s sports programmes.