A burst of speed by Kenyan pair Emmanuel Chamer and Joseph Ngetich four miles into Saturday's International 10K proved decisive and sealed first and second place for the two Africans.

They ran the fifth mile of the race in four minutes, 35 seconds, the fastest split of the entire 6.2 mile event and in doing so opened up an immediate gap of 30 metres over a chasing group consisting of American Clint Wells, Ethiopian Alene Reta and Guernsey Islander Lee Merrien.

Kenya national team athlete Chamer, 23, appeared remarkably comfortable as he pushed the pace with Ngetich a step or two behind. Reaching the five-mile mark in 24:05, with the steep hill of Palmetto Road looming ahead, Chamer's superior strength took him 30 metres clear of Ngetich by the time they reached the top. From there onwards Chamer continued to pull away and stretched his lead to 100 metres along the final incline of Frog Lane before turning in to the National Sports Centre to stop the clock at 29:47 ? the second fastest winning time since 1998.

Ngetich cut a lone figure in second place but had done enough damage during the breakaway from the pack to stay clear of the chasing duo of Wells and Reta, with Merrien a few seconds further behind.

The race had started cautiously, a little too cautiously for Colorado athlete Carl Kinney, who six days earlier won the 30th anniversary Fairmont to Fairmont road race. Not content to sit in on the early slow pace, the 25-year-old moved to the front and quickly broke clear by 30 metres during the first mile with the rest of the leading pack content to watch. Reta appeared to want to move closer to the American but then slid back into the main pack.

After the race Kinney said: "I felt good. I knew everyone was strong. The first 40 metres was slow. I just wanted to get going. I felt brave and took a chance and went for it. I was prepared for them to come back."

It was Kenya's Chamer who upped his pace to catch Kinney as they reached the first mile marker in 4:54. Chamer later said: "For the first few miles we were checking to see who each other was."

Ethiopia's Reta quickly joined the front pair and with Ngetich, Merrien and Wells all closing, a group of six contenders formed. But Kinney's early exuberance had taken its toll and he began to fade as did Reta.

The other four, headed by Kinney's friend and fellow Colorado-based runner Wells, pressed on up the stiff hill on Middle Road between Chaingate Hill and Endsmeet.

The second mile was quicker, around 4:46. By the time the group rounded the bend at Store Hill they were five-strong again with Reta back in the mix.

Wells continued to lead although the pace slackened slightly on the third mile to 4:52 and the halfway point was reached in 15:13.

Once through Flatts and on to North Shore Road, with a slight tail breeze, the leading pack ran together covering the fourth mile in 4:48. It was then that Chamer and Ngetich made their move and rapidly opened up a lead of 30 metres.

"I looked at my watch and saw the time and decided to push because I knew I did not have a strong kick if it was a close finish. When we reached the steep hill (Palmetto Road) I pushed again. My time is my poorest so far, but I was saving a little for the half-marathon on Sunday," said Chamer.

American Wells, who eventually finished third, said: "Just after four miles the Kenyans started talking and then they went off. They made that break."

The fifth mile was the quickest taking the leading pair through five miles in 24:05. It soon became clear the chasing runners would not reel in the two Kenyans as they reached Frog Lane, by which stage Chamer's lead over Ngetich was increasing with every step.

Afterwards American Wells, who ran 30:22 for third place, said: "I led for a while and it felt quite easy. It is an odd course, but good. It's hard to get into a rhythm, on some of the downhills I was running 10 seconds-per-mile faster."

Fellow Boulder, Colorado athlete Kinney, who led for the opening mile-and-a-half before slipping off the leading group to come home sixth in 31:55, said: "I'd love to come back next year. I've had a great week and a half here and I've been made to feel like part of the family in Bermuda."

First local man in something of a surprise was veteran Neil de ste. Croix, a triathlete and these days better known for his performances in mountain bike racing.

He pipped local teenager Sean Trott on the line although both were given the same time of 36:55.

Sixteen year-old Home School student Trott had finished runner-up in the boys' (13-17) one mile race on Front Street the previous evening.

He was strong enough over 10K on Saturday to see off top Masters runner Ricky Sousa, who placed third among the locals in 37:41.

Trott said: "I took off pretty fast. I thought I'd do the first mile in six minutes but it was 5:10 and I was surprised how good I felt so I just kept going. I was by myself most of the race although there was someone sneaking up on me near the end so I pushed on."

American former age-world record holder Sid Howard, 67, danced to the sound of a band playing in the Sports Centre arena after he finished the race for the 28th time since 1979. He clocked an impressive 45:21.