Kenyan Shadrack Biwot will be looking to add to his remarkable Bermuda Marathon Weekend legacy this year.The elite middle distance runner captured an unprecedented treble (Men’s Elite Mile, 10K and Half Marathon) on his Bermuda Marathon Weekend debut in 2010.He then followed up that stunning achievement the next year by successfully defending his 10K and Half Marathon titles.However, Biwot was denied a hat-trick of 10K and Half Marathon crowns last year after withdrawing from Bermuda Marathon Weekend at the eleventh hour following the death of his father.“He wasn’t here last year because his father passed away the week of the event,” commented Bermuda Marathon Weekend Race Director Anthony Raynor. “We missed him last year due to unfortunate circumstances but I’m certainly delighted to have him back.”Raynor confirmed that Biwot will compete in three separate events this year.“Shadrack is going to run the mile (Men’s Elite Mile), 10K and Half Marathon and I’m excited to have someone of his pedigree competing this year,” he said.Biwot is the younger brother of Duncan Kibet who is the 5th fastest marathoner of all time on a certified world record eligible course and the 7th fastest marathoner of all time under any conditions.Biwot is due to compete in Houston this weekend before arriving on the Island next week.Bermuda resident Chris Estwanik is the reigning Bermuda Marathon Weekend 10K and Half Marathon champion. The former US track runner is also the current Half Triangle Challenge Men’s champion.Last year saw Estwanik become the second local runner behind Cal Bean to win the 10K while his time of one hour, eight minutes and 35 seconds was a personal best in the Half Marathon.Meanwhile, other overseas elite runners set to compete in this year’s Bermuda Marathon Weekend include past marathon champions Elena Orlova (Russia), Stephanie Hodge (Canada), Teklu Terefera Deneke (Ethiopia) and Richard Tirop Kessio (Kenya).Kessio came close to breaking the course record in the marathon after storming to victory in 2010 in a time of two hours, 17 minutes and 32 seconds.“He was only a couple of minutes off the course record so you have to think he has the ability to lower the record,” Raynor said.England’s Andy Holden currently holds the marathon race record of two hours, 15 minutes and 20 seconds which he set in 1980.Despite the economic downturn, this year’s Bermuda Marathon Weekend will boast one of the highest number of participants in the event’s 38-year history. As of midweek there were 1,348 confirmed competitors expected to compete, with more than half of those coming from overseas.Raynor is encouraged by the number of overseas entries that have already registered for the upcoming three-day event.“We keep hearing about the economy and so forth but to attract tourists to Bermuda when people are struggling in other places is a pleasure for us to be able to contribute to the Island like that,” he said. “Locals will be treated to some high calibre running and we hope lots of people will see the economic benefits from these types of events.”“We’re very grateful to the Police service, the Government Ministries that assist us, Corporation of Hamilton and KPMG and HSBC Bermuda for their significant contributions to the event and the sport.”Online registration for the HSBC Bermuda 10K, Marathon and Half Marathon expired yesterday. However, late registration will take place at Fairmont Hamilton between the hours of 3.30pm and 6.30pm on Friday, January 18.Registration for the Bermuda Triangle Challenge expired last month.“We had to close the Bermuda Triangle Challenge event because we reached our limit (600 people),” Raynor said. “We don’t want to turn people off if they are not able to get in. But we have to be able to logistically manage those numbers.”The Bermuda Triangle Challenge consists of the Mile, 10K, half marathon or marathon events.Bermuda Marathon Weekend commences next Friday with the staging of the KPMG Front Street Invitational Mile Races which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.