Matthew Spring proved just why he’s regarded as one of the best up and coming male athletes in Bermuda last night with a masterful performance in the boys’ 13-17 age group of the Front Street Mile.

Though he appeared to be limping in pain before climbing onto the winner’s podium and while his time of four minutes, 44 seconds was some 18 seconds slower than the one he registered in qualifying, the end result had never been in any doubt as the tall Berkeley Institute flyer took control of the race from the outset.

Spring’s commanding victory comes hard on the heels of an excellent year competing overseas, where he earned a bronze medal in the Under-17 3,000 metres at the Carifta Games in Guadeloupe followed soon after by a silver in the Under-17 1,500 metres at the CAC Games in Trinidad.

Second place in the 13-17 age group category went to Home School’s Sean Trott in a time of 5:00.06 followed by third-placed Darico Clarke in 5:05.1.

In the girls’ 13-17 division hot favourite Alexis Bean was yet again in inspired form, triumphing in a time of 5:23.1 — four seconds off the record the Warwick Academy student set in sensational fashion last year.

The Bermuda Pacers teenager was followed over the line by Berkeley Institute’s Deanne Lightbourne in 5:30.6 while Taylor Bean of Warwick Academy finished third in 5:35.7.

In the boys’ 11-12 race, Saltus’ Winton Woodley jr pulled off a rare upset by beating top qualifier Adlai Teye-Botchway to the line in a time of 5:22.1. Botchway finished exactly eight seconds later in 5:30.1 while Brighton Swan made it a one, two, three for Saltus in 5:39.9.

Warwick Academy’s Jazmine Outerbridge won the girls’ 11-12 event in 5:38.2, followed by school-mate Megan Berry in 5:58.2. Third in the race was Shuntae Hendrickson of Whitney Institute in a commendable 6:09.4.

In the 8-10 age group, Warwick Academy again saw one of their own surge to victory as Nakeno Creighton crossed the line first in a time of 5:50.2. And though he was easily the smallest runner in the race, little Paul Smith of Northlands Academy left most of the taller boys in his wake by finishing second in 5:53.5, followed by Justin Ferreria in third in 5:57.5.

In the opening race of the night, Warwick Academy’s certain star of the future Kyla Bolden cruised to victory in the girls’ 8-10 race with a time of 6:04.2, ahead of Jordan Bascome (6:13.5) and Kyrah Scraders 6:16.1.