performances yesterday in a city where he hopes to realise an Olympic dream this time next year.

Competing on a warm, humid day in Atlanta's Peachtree Race, among a monster field numbering more than 50,000, Smith clocked an impressive 31 minutes, 30 seconds.

It was more than a minute faster than Bermuda's second finisher, veteran Mike Watson who crossed the line in 32.54.

Smith, unbeaten on the Island's roads since returning to competition earlier this year, has set his sights on next year's Olympic Games in Atlanta, although he's undecided whether to aim for the 10,000 metres of marathon (26.2 miles).

Last night his finishing position at Peachtree wasn't known, and although his time was quick by Bermuda standards, he still trailed the eventual winner, South Africa's Simon Morolong by more than three and a half minutes.

Morolong's unofficial time was 27.59 while Joan Nesbit of Chapel Hill, North Carolina led home the women's in 32.19.

Early-morning temperatures were in the low 70s with cloudy skies for the 26th annual race, a Fourth of July tradition.

Smith and Watson were among a contingent of more than 30 Bermuda runners, most of them representing Swan's Running Club, who took part in the Atlanta event.

Tracy Wright was third local in 33.17 followed by Colin Swan in 35.28 and Jamal Hart in 35.34.

Winton Woodley (38.31) and Alex Swan (39.30) also broke the 40 minute barrier.

First Bermuda female finisher was Sherry Wade in 45.53 followed by Lucy Burchall in 53.08.

Overall winner Morolong told Associated Press after the race he didn't find it hard to push himself, even though no other runners were close to him at the finish.

"If you don't trust yourself, you can't make it,'' he said. "I trust myself.'' Nesbit said she had an advantage because she was used to such heat.

"I feel like I'm becoming heat-acclimated, so it didn't bother me probably as much as it did other runners,'' she said.

Bermuda runners with finishing times: Kavin Smith 31.30; Mike Watson 32.54; Tracy Wright 33.17; Colin Swan 35.28; Jamal Hart 35.34; Winton Woodley 38.31; Alex Swan 39.30; Darien Dowling 40.05; Derick Ming 40.32; Ed Benjamin 40.40; Kent Dill 42.35; Vernal Durham 42.56; George Braithwaite 43.32; Terence Douglas 44.24; Sherry Wade 45.53; Ronald Mills 45.53; Troy Thomas 45.56; Roger Lambert 46.36; Elvin Thomas 48.01; Lucy Burchall 53.08; Robert Trew 53.43; Bobby Robinson 54.04; Edwina Arorash 54.13; Zina Wilson 54.13; Karen Smith 54.16; Sharon Swan 62.01; George Jones 63.15; Carol Bassett 70.00; Helen Dill 70.01; Debbie Minors 73.24; Evonne Lightbourn 73.36; Marie Breamar 80.01.