A collision between a police motorcycle and top runner Lamont Marshall on the final corner of the Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10K road race left spectators gasping as the defending champion and multi-national record holder lay on the ground before regaining his composure and reaching the finishing line less than 100 metres away.Until the unfortunate collision with the motorcycle Marshall had appeared on target to repeat his sub-32 winning time of a year ago. But it was not to be.A witness to the crash said it appeared the patrol bike, which was helping to marshal the popular event, stopped at the final corner and race leader Marshall, on his final surge for the finish line, clattered against it.“It seemed like he was down for about 20 seconds,” said top marathon veteran Peter Lever, who was assisting as a race official.Marshall got up and walked to the finish line, which he crossed in 32 minutes 21 seconds.The drama had shades of the famous Boston Marathon incident involving US legend Dick Beardsley, who was momentarily impeded by a police motorcycle as he duelled in the final sprint finish with the then world record holder Alberto Salazar in 1982. However, on that occasion Beardsley, who visited Bermuda in 2009 and 2010, avoided contact with the outrider.Marshall’s father and coach Larry Marshall Sr said: “He had expected the police bike to continue moving. The camera bike had turned to the right, but all of a sudden the police bike stopped.“He has a few minor abrasions, but he’s okay. These things happen. He got up and walked to the finish, which was 70 or 80 metres away. He was heading for a time around 31.50, which would have been a personal best on that course. When you factor in all that happened, and the spill, he considers today to be a PB.”Last night a Police spokesman said “inquiries” were made with Marshall’s family and that the motorcycle was not damaged.”The Marshalls had used their own 2K landmarks to monitor progress in the race. Lamont ran through the first four 2K markers in 6.02, 6.17, 6.21 and 6.45 (which included Collector’s Hill) respectively.Marshall Sr said that overall his son was pleased with his performance.Second runner home was 21-year-old Sean Trott, who recently competed with the Bermuda team at the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Trinidad. He ran a personal best of 32.58, while third placed Stephen Allen was pleased to set his own personal course best of 34.09, more than a minute faster than his time last year when he was the runner-up.Allen said: “I stayed with those two (Marshall and Trott) for the first 600 metres and then I eased back to my own pace. I wanted to go sub-35, that was my objective. Evan Naude and Tony Banks caught me up and we ran together and then I pushed ahead again. I felt strong on the hills.”The women’s race saw Jennifer Alen and Victoria Fiddick keeping close company for most of the 6.2 miles, before Alen broke away as they turned up the steep Collector’s Hill around the four-mile point.Alen has been gearing her training to shorter distances and admitted she felt the strain as she tacked the final rise, up Chaingate Hill, before reaching the finish line 14th overall in 39.42, which was a personal best for the distance and a number of minutes quicker than she has previously achieved on the testing Lindo’s course.Fiddick was 18th overall, and second in the women’s race, in 40.28, with the improving Deon Breary third in 42.37.The Lindo’s to Lindo’s 10K road race was held in conjunction with a four-mile competitive walk and non-competitive walk. The fastest walker was Sinclair Smith in 40.20. All together around 1,000 entrants took part, with around 360 runners in the 10K race, which started outside the Lindo’s supermarket on Middle Road, Warwick, and ended at Lindo’s supermarket on Brighton Hill, Devonshire.Fastest in each age group:Women: (under-19) Rayni’ Maybury 53.07; (open) Jennifer Alen 39.42; (master) Victoria Fiddick 40.28; (senior master) Sharon Craig 51.29; (veteran) Dawna Ferguson 55.38; (senior veteran) Peggy Couper 52.47.Men: (under-19) David Oakley 41.36; (open) Lamont Marshall 32.21; (master) Chris Harris 36.39; (senior master) Devoe Whaley 44.24; (veteran) Eddie Fisher 44.28; (senior veteran) Keith Chiappa 51.20.