Top road runner Lamont Marshall has been tipped to win the May 24 Bermuda Day half-marathon by someone who knows him very well - his father Larry.

Lamont's brother, defending champion Larry Marshall jr, will be unable to defend his title this year because of a knee injury.

His absence has opened up the field with all the leading contenders licking their lips at the prospect of crossing the finish line first at Bernard Park next Monday.

But the younger Marshall, who placed third last year, is hoping to keep the title in the family and father Larry is confident he can do just that.

Marshall sr is adamant his youngest son can come up with the goods on race day and has what it takes to add his name to the Bermuda Day Marathon honours list.

"If Lamont can run his own race on the day, he will be at the front with all the contenders," said Marshall sr.

"That is the key, you can't let others didctate what you will do.

"I have seen Kavin (Smith) be five minutes behind the leaders and win the race by five minutes, so you have to run your own race," he said yesterday.

"I would personally say that if Jay (Donawa) is fit, it would be between Lamont, Jay and Chris Estwanik to battle at the front.

"Kavin will be up there as well, along with Terrance (Armstrong), so it will be an interesting day of road running."

While some have said that last year's winner may still turn up on the day despite his injury, his father said his son had no intention of running next week.

"The main thing for Larry was not re-injuring himself," he commented.

"For the past four years or so he has had one injury or another, and it gets frustrating as you have to put in so much in order to get to where you need to be.

"If he would have had three months to prepare then he might have been able to try it out, but I can tell you now that he will not be involved in the race.

"This isn't a hoax, to those who think this may be a trick we are playing and he will show up to the start line ready, I can say he hasn't even registered for the race."

Marshall sr said the mind games had already begun with some prime candidates for the top prize keeping a low profile days before the race.

"Jay is playing things very low key, which is understandable as he really wants to win the race after so many close calls.

"This close to the race there is no camaraderie among runners, everybody is the enemy.

"Some try to use different ways to get an idea of what their opponents are doing to get ready for the big day."

But Marshall said Lamont had been concentrating on his training and would be in his best shape when all the contenders line up on Monday morning in Somerset for the 13.1 mile trek into Hamilton.