A head-to-head duel between Bermuda?s two fastest women road runners placed Flora Duffy and Ashley Couper third and fourth overall in a thrilling Crimestoppers 5K road race yesterday.

The international pair pushed one another to astonishing times with Duffy in devastating form as she drew upon her triathlon strength to clock a stunning 17 minutes and 34 seconds for victory, easily one of the best 5K times ever recorded by a woman on the Island.

Couper wasn?t far behind, clocking an impressive 18 minutes flat.

Duffy?s feat was all the more remarkable as she only arrived back in Bermuda late the previous day, yet showed no signs of travel fatigue. And despite coming to the end of her triathlon season, she appears not to be letting up her training regime.

The teenager took a short breather at the end of the Swan?s Running Club-organised event before vanishing to put in two hours of exercise on her cycle, missing the prizegiving ceremony as a result.

Having won the women-only PartnerRe 5K last weekend, runner-up Couper improved by 26 seconds on her time in that race for fourth place overall.

There was an equally enthralling battle in the men?s race as Lamont Marshall and Jay Donawa lined up together for the first time since their epic duel in May?s ?Sir?Stanley Burgess 5K, which ended with the younger Marshall getting within five seconds of Kavin Smith?s all-comers record for the distance.

Spectators at the early stages of yesterday?s race could have been forgiven for thinking they were witnessing a 100 metres sprint rather than a race over three-and-a-bit miles as the two men dashed headlong down Par-La-Ville Road pursued by Otis Robinson.

Marshall and Donawa quickly shook off all pursuers, blitzing along Front Street and out to the roundabout at the foot of The Lane before turning around and heading back to town.

It was impossible to separate the pair as they traded bursts of speed along East Broadway and Front Street. Donawa, who claimed his third cross-country victory of the season at Spittal Pond the day before and who had just clocked off from a night shift at the Fire Station, boldly broke free coming out of Bermudiana Road with the finish line less than 200 metres away.

But Marshall was not to be denied and dug deep, summoning up a devastating kick that took him three seconds clear for victory in 15:19 from Donawa?s 15:22.

The race attracted 94 finishers, a marked increase from last year?s 69. And a junior race, which was won by Brighton Swan in 19:47 from Dage Minors in 20:05, boasted 78 finishers.

A further 64 entrants walked the course with Hannah King first to finish in just under 29 minutes.