locals when the Front Street Mile series takes place in less than a month's time.

In the qualifying heats held on Saturday and Wednesday at National Stadium, Irishman Dunwoody clocked the fastest time of any Bermuda runner to head the list of male open qualifiers in a time of four minutes, 26.7 seconds.

Veteran track runner Mike Watson had to settle for second among the qualifiers in 4.28.7, more than 20 seconds outside his personal best, while last year's winner in the local male division, Jamal Hart, had the third fastest time of 4.43.4.

With an entry of more than 300 for the six divisions -- male open, female open, secondary school boys and girls, and primary school boys and girls -- only the top 20 in each group made it through to the January 17 finals.

But with less than 20 entering the open female and secondary girls division, organisers have offered wild cards to four runners who were unable to attend the trials -- Karen Adams (second in the 1996 final), Jeana Jones and Sheri Wade, and schoolgirl Gabriella Butler.

Julia Hawley was the fastest female qualifier in 5.43.0 followed by Sarah Smith (6.08.4) and Glennis Benjamin (6.11.7).

However, Hawley will be hard pressed to beat Adams, who clocked 5.16 in windy conditions last January, and defending champion Jennifer Fisher who ran 5.02 before taking up a college scholarship in Raleigh, Carolina. It wasn't known yesterday whether Fisher would return from college to defend her title.

In the secondary boys qualifying heats, Aaron Williams led the way in an impressive 4.59.3 followed by Jeremiah Smith in 5.01.3 and Tyler Butterfield and Kris Hedges who both clocked 5.05.4.

Jarita Dill was the fastest of the secondary girls in 5.45.2, ahead of Jennifer Young (5.48.4) and Patrina Swan (5.51.3).

A bumper entry of primary schoolchildren saw Henry Talbot (5.32.9) and Jaynae Dillas (5.50.5) lead the respective boys and girls' divisions. Lawson Williams (5.42.3) and Jonathan Ball (5.47.5) followed Talbot while the next fastest girls were Flora Duffy (6.08.6) and Shar Dae Whitter (6.13.1).

The Duffy family had three successful qualifiers with Flora's brother Joell (secondary boys) and mother Maria (female open) also making the finals.

Full results of all heats are on display at the Sportseller in Hamilton.

List of all qualifiers -- see Scoreboard.