Terrance Armstrong and Otis Robinson flew the flag for Bermuda in two high class 8K road races in New York's Central Park at the weekend.

Three-times May 24 champ Armstrong, who is based in the US, featured in the impressively competitive USA 8K Championship race alongside a number of the biggest names in the US including some who have graced the Bermuda International Race Weekend in recent years - including Saturday's winner Jorge Torres who clocked an outstanding 22 minutes 41.2 seconds to win from Andrew Carlson in 22.41.9.

Bermuda's Armstrong, 36, may have been a distant 40th, but that was no disgrace in probably the best assembled 8K field in the US, and his time of 25.35 for the 4.9-mile distance was worthy of his inclusion in the elite race.

The women's race saw Shalane Flanagan beat former two-times Bermuda International Race Weekend 10K winner Katie McGregor by 16 seconds, Flangan's time was 25.40.

Alongside the national championship race in Central Park, the New York Road Runners held an open NYRR 8000 race over the same 8K course.

Otis Robinson was competing in this event, and despite having no time to warm-up after the taxi from his hotel got lost on the way to the start line, Robinson quickly made up ground even though he had to start in the middle of the pack of 1,800 runners.

His first mile was a slow 6.50 as he weaved through hundred of athletes ahead. But once he had broken free into clearer space his pace increased into the 5.30 range and he powered home in 29.34 - registering an overall race pace of 5.56-minute miles.

Robinson, 34, has been battling a fatigue problem of late but appears to be back on track and was pleased with his performance in the cold 41 degrees of Manhattan.

He was 11th in his age group. Art Gunther won the race in a time of 25.04.