in the ADT Bermuda 10-K on Saturday.

Barreto annihilated his competition in the men's field to win his second successive overall title while top female runner Letko sprinted away at the outset and was never challenged.

For all intent and purposes the men's race was over after three miles when Barreto surged going over the hill on Middle Road near Cable and Wireless and no one responded.

From there he ran solo the rest of the way although he visibly tired heading over the gruelling Commissioner's Hill on Palmetto Road, allowing Bank of Butterfield Elite Mile champion Michael Bartoszak to close to within 90 yards.

But the effects of the Pole's previous night's work began to take toll as he could not maintain his charge.

Crossing the line in 30 minutes, one second, Barreto was well off Briton Geoff Smith's course record of 28:14 and almost a minute slower than his winning time last year. Still it was good enough to win as he came in 14 seconds ahead of Bartozsak (30:15) with Dave Reid of Canada a distant third in 30:47.

"Today the race was hard because of the weather,'' said Barreto, who last year knocked off then-defending champion Ed Eyestone in an epic battle. "The humidity doesn't bother me too much but the strong headwind was very tough.'' Barreto must have reminisced of being back in Mexico City when he encountered choking clouds of smoke from burning trash along North Shore -- Mexico is known for its poor air quality.

It was clear early that Barreto planned to push the pace as he led a group of seven runners, including Bartoszak, Reid, Rachid Tbahi, Scott Bagley, Paul Freary and Greg Whiteley, in a breakaway after one mile.

The Mexican attempted another surge midway through the second mile but found unexpected resistance from Reid, who was fourth in the previous night's mile race.

Reid latched on to the shoulder of the slender but powerful Barreto and the pair opened a 10-yard gap between Bartoszak, with the other members of the initial lead group stringing out behind them.

"I knew this guy was coming in here as the favourite, but I wanted to make him work for it,'' said Reid, visiting the Island for the third time. "It was my plan to go out quickly and press the pace, I was fourth last night (Friday in the mile) and had nothing to lose.

"But the pace was too fast. The first few miles is not as easy as people think. It's quite hilly and takes the legs from you.'' By the third mile, Reid had been dropped. He tucked in behind Bagley and Bartoszak moved to second.

The clock read 13:42 after three miles with the gap between Barreto and Bartoszak about 100 yards and growing.

At the halfway mark the course record was still within sight, but any chances of achieving that success was blown away by relentless southeasterly winds.

"It was too much wind,'' said Bartoszak, who improved one place after finishing third in 1992. "If it was like last night (Friday) it would have been good and could have allowed me to run maybe half a minute faster.

"Also I think that if I hadn't run last night I would have been better today.'' Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Letko showed why she is regarded as a star on the rise in heading the women's list with a 34:07 clocking.

The New Jersey-based runner averaged 5:30 per mile and beat her closest female competitor, local resident Karen Adams, by almost four minutes.

She even gave the top local men quite a run with only three -- Kavin Smith, Tracy Wright and Mark Perry -- breaking the tape in front of her.

"I kind of got word beforehand about the situation with the race and that I wouldn't have too much of a problem (winning),'' a fresh-looking Letko said afterwards. "I was able to latch on to a couple of the guys who had went out fast and then came back. It was nice to do it that way rather than to be running alone like I would have in an all-women's race.

"I know my time was slow, but being from the north I'm not used to the heat and humidity.

"It was a good effort for me. I basically used it as a tempo run, a stop in between training and my entering some major meets.'' Letko is preparing for the World Cross-Country trials in Oregon and needs a top-five placing to make the US team to travel to Spain for the finals. She said that her ultimate aim is to earn a spot in the 10,000 metres for the World Track and Field Championships to be held this year in Stuttgart, Germany.

Third behind Letko and Adams was Anna Eatherley (38:36) while another American Courtney Difiancesco (39:41) wound up forth.

"It's unbelievable what they are doing here, being able to put on three quality events in one weekend,'' said Reid. "It's fantastic for a place this small to get all these people out and the exposure being given by having ESPN here will certainly be appealing to the masses overseas and not just the elite athletes.

"Everyone is great...I've been here three times and feel like a native.'' IN PERFECT SOLITUDE -- Marcos barreto cruises on his way to a convincing 10-victory on Saturday.