Kavin Smith ran the fastest half marathon ever recorded in Bermuda yesterday -- and then admitted he had stopped for a breather during the race.

The Island's top road runner wrote his name into the history books with an amazing time of 1:08:51 to win the annual Bermuda Sun Half Marathon and claimed a $1,000 bonus prize for smashing the Bermuda record for the 13.1-mile distance.

But speaking after being cheered across the finish line on Elliott Street in Hamilton, Smith said the time would have been even faster, but for agonising stomach pains which he suffered during the race.

"The time should have been about 1:07:30. I was in such pain at one point I had to stop for about 30 seconds,'' said 31-year-old Smith.

He was still in some distress with his stomach 30 minutes after completing the race and put the problems down to a change of race-day routine.

"Usually, I eat nothing before a race, but this time I woke up early, about 5.45 a.m. and I was feeling great. I had a banana and some toast. I think that could have been the problem.'' Illness aside, he was delighted with the achievement of smashing the record.

"The conditions were as good as I've ever known for racing and breaking the record means I go down in history and no-one can ever take that away from me.

And $1,000 is a fair trade-off for going through the pain barrier.

"This race is really well organised now and they offer a real incentive to the runners to do well. Often, the rewards aren't good enough for racing in Bermuda. But when they are, it changes runners' mentality and can make them do better.'' Smith's time beat his own half-marathon record, set in the May 24 Marathon Derby in 1997, by 19 seconds.

Last year's winner Jay Donawa came home second in a time of 1:12:13, some three and a half minutes behind Smith. Donawa was delighted at bettering his 1997 winning time by more than a minute and full of praise for Smith.

"I train with Kavin, so I know just what he is capable of and his time was no surprise to me. The half-marathon distance is his forte,'' said Donawa.

"I was putting no pressure on myself to defend my title. The goal was to build up my strength and I'm pleased to have run this time.'' David Dunwoody (1:16:37) came third, closely followed by Jamal Hart (1:16:55) and Sylvester Jean-Pierre (1:17:07), who was first master (40-49 age group) to finish, while Harry Patchett (1:21:41) won the men's over-50 age group and also finished 10th overall.

Anna Eatherley won the women's title, finishing 12th overall with a time of 1:24:29.

After clinching victory, she said modestly: "I don't think I'm that good at half marathons, but there you are. My distance is 10K and that's what I'll be running on International Race Weekend in January.'' Eatherley added she had only just got back into full training again after giving birth to a son 20 months ago.

Lynn Patchett was second woman to finish in 1:26:13 and last year's winner Karen Adams placed third in 1:27:47.

Jane Christie (1:30:54) took the women's 40-49 age group and Dorothy Gilchrist (2:05:07) the over-50s. The number of entrants was 92, up 10 on last year, and 89 finished.

A 5K walk held in conjunction with the half marathon was won by Robin Simmons in 37:35, ahead of Florence Sharpe (39:33) and Clinton Curtis (39:34). The next three to finish were Dennis Lister, the new Youth, Sport, Recreation and Parks Minister, and his two sons, 13-year-old Dennis Jr. and 11-year-old Randall.

Runners took home more than $4,000 in prizes.

KAVIN SMITH -- broke his own half-marathon record despite suffering from stomach pains.

ANNA EATHERLEY -- first woman finisher.