James Thie blamed a lack of fear for his fourth-place finish in last year?s Front Street Mile ? and believes he is frightened enough this time around to win the showpiece race for a third time.

The popular Welshman was a comfortable favourite going into last year?s battle having won in 2003 and 2004 but in a disappointingly slow race he was beaten by Kenyan Elkanah Angwenyi and Mexican Juan Luis Barrios Nieves, both of whom have returned for tonight?s race.

But this year Thie is feeling fit, ready and hungry for a third victory.

?I run on fear and last year I think I was too comfortable because of my two previous wins,? said Thie, who will also run his now traditional 10K tomorrow with youngster Dorian Armstrong.

?But I have got the fear back this time around and I think that will help me. Last year was strange, none of us really got going but the time didn?t reflect the race.

?I still don?t really know how I came fourth but I am going to do everything I can to prevent that happening again.

?I think, depth-wise, this is the strongest field for a while so that makes me fearful and should help me compete. There are some good runners out there and if you are not on your game you are going to end up in eighth or worse.

?It will be tough but that?s what I want and that should help me get up there.?

Thie was also keen to point out that he won the Mountain Ash Mile last month, a historic Welsh event on New Year?s Eve, something he also did prior to his two previous victories ? last year he competed in a New York four-mile race instead.

His main challenges will come from Angwenyi, Nieves ? who won a regional cross-country event in Bermuda as a youngster ? and room-mate for this trip Neil Speaight, the British Indoor Champion.

Other competition will come from Kalpanatit Broderick, invited here by local Michael Donawa who raced with him in San Diego last year.

Broderick has been told a lot about the race by the younger brother of top local runner Jay and is looking forward to competing.

?He has given me a bit of the history of the race and also made me very aware of the $10,000 prize for breaking the four-minute barrier,? said the 25-year-old.

?In track and field anything is possible and I will certainly be going for it ? although if the rain keeps coming down then it is going to be tough for anyone to get anywhere near it.?

Donawa, whose four minute 23 second personal best makes him the slowest of the 12 registered runners for the showpiece event in tonight?s competition ? with a start time of 8.32p.m. ? is proud to be competing as the only local in the elite race.

?This event means a lot to me,? said Donawa, running for the third time among the elites and the seventh overall, including races as a youngster.

?I always enjoying competing in this and it is great to have the crowd backing me.

?This is a big month for me as I am still trying to make the Commonwealth Games in the 800 metres. I am about a second off the qualifying time but I have until the end of the month to get it.

?I am still looking to improve and have my eye on future Commonwealths or Olympics.?

The elite race, this year sponsored by KPMG, is the seventh race and pinnacle of the evening, which is expected to be another wet and wild affair on Front Street with large crowds predicted whatever the weather.

In the local men?s race, beginning at 8.20 p.m., Lamont Marshall, former winner Sheldon Thompson and Otis Robinson are expected to be among the main challengers, as well as long distance specialist Kavin Smith ? last year?s winner and record holder Evan Naude is not competing.

In the ladies? event, the absence of Commonwealth Games-bound Ashley Couper should pave the way for Victoria Fiddick to claim the honours, with her main competition is expected to come from Chantal MacIsaac, Anna Eatherley and Joanne Shillington.

The evening kicks off with the Under-12 girls? event at 7.20 p.m. followed by the equivalent boys event and then the Under-18 races for boys and girls.