Bermuda Track and Field Association won't bow to requests to have the old International 10K course remeasured - despite the fact that both the men's and women's records have remained in tact for some 20 years.

It has been suggested, most recently during ZBM radio's Talking Sport show this week, that both Englishman Geoff Smith and Norwegian Grete Waitz may have set their records in the early 1980s on courses that didn't meet International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) standards.

However, BTFA president Judith Simmons said she did not consider remeasuring the course a priority.

Liverpudlian Smith flew around the course in 1982 in a stunning time of 28 minutes, 14 seconds, a record that has rarely been challenged since.

And Waitz, during a string of successive victories in the early 1980s, performed a best time of 31.44 which has also proved unbeatable so far.

"Yes, it appears that some people are saying that the old distance must have been incorrect because the times that were recorded have stood for so many years," said Simmons.

"But I really don't know much about the old course because I wasn't around and acting in the same capacity.

"I really cannot speak for what happened back years ago. When we made the change back in 2001 all of the current distances were remeasured by an IAAF measurer and are very correct."

While admitting that one way of settling any dispute would be to bring in an IAAF official and have the old course measured, Simmons questioned such a move.

She said it would be costly to fly in an official measurer from the IAAF, and in any case she had no reason to doubt that the old course was inaccurate.

Indeed, before Smith and Waitz set their records, the 10K course was certified by US official Dave Katz, who during the 1980s was responsible for measuring the New York Marathon.

"I really don't know if it's speculation or what when this subject is brought up," added Simmons.

"Somebody could have possibly run that fast on an accurate course to set those records. There are a number of reasons why somebody could have run that fast - it doesn't mean that the course was short.

"There are some world records that have stood for many years and people have questioned why they haven't been broken

"If you look at the calibre of runner Geoff Smith was when he came here you have to consider how close he was to his peak. If the other athletes are not at that level then beating his time is not going to happen. There are a number of ways you can look at it."

This Saturday's 10K race is expected to see some 240 runners, many of them race veterans.

Well known local Ludwig Cann will be wearing number 76, representing his current age, as will two runners from Massachusetts - Dudley Healey (88) and Joe Fernandez (74).

American Ross Kolhoman has run in International Race Weekend 25 times and to mark that milestone he will wear the number 25.

Among those also visiting are 13 high school students from Xavierian College in Brooklyn, New York.