International Race Weekend organisers suffered a setback yesterday with news that reigning world marathon champion Mark Plaatjes, pencilled in for next Saturday's 10K, was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during training this week.

The news took Race Weekend committee chairman Philip Guishard by surprise, since moments earlier he had announced that Plaatjes would compete.

"I was really looking forward the challenge between Plaatjes and Paredes,'' said Guishard, referring to Mexican Benjamin Paredes, runner-up in last year's New York Marathon.

"I just hope there's some error of communication and he is coming after all.

I think that would have been something to draw the people out to watch.'' When contacted yesterday at his home in Boulder, Colorado, Plaatjes confirmed he would not be travelling to Bermuda next week.

"Unfortunately I hurt my knee and I haven't been able to train properly,'' the South African-born runner said.

When asked if there was any possibility he could still compete, Plaatjes said: "Unless I am miraculously cured over the next few days, I don't think so.'' Plaatjes, winner of the 1993 Los Angeles Marathon, easily would have been the most coveted overseas participant.

"We had quite a big snowstorm and I slipped on the ice and caught myself a couple of times,'' he said. "I think I hit my knee so I've got some inflammation of the cartilage.'' Plaatjes, who made the decision on Wednesday night, added: "I'm really disappointed, too. My wife and I have wanted to see Bermuda for a long time.'' Race organisers, however, have still managed to come up with a glittering line-up of overseas competitors for the three events, beginning on Friday with the Mile and followed by Saturday's 10K and Sunday's Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Guishard confirmed that overseas runners from 11 countries will compete, pointing out that the four Mexican (Paredes, Maximo Catillo, Moises Requena and Marcos Barreto) and three Kenyan runners (John Kipkoskei, Richard Rono and Billy Konchellah) signed up will certainly give Race Weekend a unique flavour.

"I'm very pleased to have that sort of mix in there,'' Guishard said. "I'm expecting them all to do well.'' Besides Mexico and Kenya, athletes from Italy, Canada, United States, Poland, Germany, England, Holland, Russia and Australia will take part in the Island's most ballyhooed running weekend of the year.

Returning to reclaim his title in the Mile and 10K will be Michal Bartoszak of Poland. Anne-Marie Letko, winner of last year's women's 10K in 33:48, will be back to chase a third straight title.

Fan favourite Bartoszak will again be challenged by Paul Freary in both events, and the lanky Englishman is bound to remember last year's finish where he clocked 4:10.8 compared to Bartoszak's 4:10.2.

Kenyan Konchellah, bronze medal winner in the 800 metres during last year's World Championships in Stuttgart, is also expected to challenge for first overall.

Barreto of Mexico, well known in Bermuda as winner of the 10K in 1992 and 1993, will take part in the Mile and 10K.

And 1991 Elite Mile winner Steve Cram (who shares the record of 4.05 with Joe Falcon and Bartoszak) will be here not only to compete, but in a bid to link up Bermuda's Mile with other international events. Cram, however, won't be considered a mile contender, having competed little in the past year.

The local competitors in the Mile will be Terrance Armstrong, Mike Watson and Steve Burgess.

Runners will once again pursue a cash bonus of $10,000, which goes to the first person to clock the mile under four minutes.

Even without Plaatjes, the 10K boasts an impressive field with Paredes bringing a personal best of 28:29, a minute stronger than Bartoszak's 29:32 from a year ago.

Also in the 10K line-up is Gianni Poli, winner of the 1986 New York Marathon, Tim Garguilo of the United States and a pair of Kenyans, Kipkoskei and Rono.

Kipkoskei finished third in last year's Atlanta Peachtree 10K in 28:06, while Rono recently competed in a 10K in Belgium and finished in 28:29.

"Benjamin (Paredes) is a really interesting story because he used to be a duathlete,'' said Plaatjes. "He really only started running seriously the last two years so the amount of improvement he's made is really amazing. We've competed quite successfully against each other a number of times.'' Kipkoskie, who trains with last year's marathon winner Eddie Hellebuyck, is expected to provide Paredes with his strongest challenge.

"He's very good, he could beat Benjamin,'' said Plaatjes. "Rono is okay but John is better. John's an exciting athlete.'' With Misty Demko's late withdrawal on Wednesday, Letko will face lukewarm challenges from Michelle Buresh, Debbi Kilpatrick and Mary-Lynn Currier, all Americans.

"I think that essentially this year's events are not going to be any different to what has occured in the past,'' said Guishard. "I'm personally a little disappointed that we weren't able to expand the women's field in both the 10K and the Marathon a bit better. In the case of the 10K the quality of the people who were interested.. .I could have easily have had 10 women here, but six of them would have run 35-plus for the course and we were not really prepared to spend money on that level.'' The Marathon will once again attract a parade of Russians, including Alexander Kuftyrev, Gusman Abdullin and Edward Toukhbatulin, but unless there's a late flurry of sponsorship, they could be prevented from competing.

"All of the names that I have indicated we're 99 percent optimistic that we'll have them here,'' said Guishard. "The only ones who present some financial difficulty to us at this stage are the Russians. As you're aware there's a considerable amount needed to get the Russians here. We are still awaiting word as to whether or not we definitely have sponsorship for those runners.'' Later he said: "But we may come up with some other avenue to get them here.'' Kim Goff, marathon winner in 1993, returns to head the women's field and is considered a favourite since last year's champion Tammy Slusser won't be back.

Guishard was a late arrival at his own media conference when information on competitors couldn't be put together because of a broken photocopy machine.

Afterwards he took exception to criticism that this year's field was not as strong as previous ones.

"We expect the event to be just as good, if not better than the events we've had up to now.

"Race Weekend needs to be recognised as a Bermuda community event,'' he added. "It has grown tremendously over the years.

"If there's one message I'd like to get out to the public it is to recognise this as a major community undertaking and to assist wherever they can.'' Asked if he would take on the challenge of chairman again next year he said: "I'm not entirely happy with a lot of things this year and before. In fairness I would need to dicuss those with the association president. If it is his pleasure that I should stay on another year, I'd certainly like (another) shot at it.'' It was also revealed that for the first time ESPN will televise all of the Race Weekend events.

Elite athletes participating: John Kipkoskei, Richard Rono, Billy Konchellah (Kenya); Maximo Castillo, Marcos Barreto, Benjamin Paredes, Moises Requena (Mexico); Gianni Poli (Italy); Jeff Schiebler, John Bowden, Cindy New (Canada); Michal Bartoszak (Poland); Klaus Goldhammer (Germany); Tim Gargiulo, Debbie Kilpatrick, Mary-Lynn Currier, Michelle Buresh, Anne-Marie Letko, Tim Pitcher, Glen Henthorn, Roxie Ericson, Kim Goff (US); Peter Whitehead, Paul Freary, Steve Cram (England); Simon Vroumen (Holland); Michael Dear, Andrew Letherby (Australia); Rudolf Csikos (Hungary); Alexander Kuftyrev, Gusman Abdullin, Edward Toukhbatulin, Tatiana Ivanova (Russia).

STARS RETURN -- Mexico's Marcos Barreto (left), America's Anne Marie Letko (centre) and England's Steve Cram (right), all previous winners, will be returning for International Race Weekend while Italy's 1986 New York Marathon winner Gianni Poli (below) makes his first appearance.