Bermudian brothers Vernon and Vernell Lambe turned a few heads when they lined up in a record field of more than 1,500 at the Russell E. Blunt Invitational track meet held at the University of North Carolina last weekend.

Bermuda Pacers Club's only two representatives at the meet, the brothers competed in four events each -- the 100, 200 and 400 metres and the long jump.

And at the end, 10-year-old Vernell was voted most outstanding athlete in his age group, having set two new records.

Vernell recorded new marks in the 100 metres (13.49 seconds) and 200 metres (27.71) and was one of only two athletes to set two meet records.

He also placed third in the long jump with a leap of 13-feet, 113 -inches but failed in his bid to reach 400 metres final.

Meanwhile, Vernon didn't enjoy the same level of success as he competed against some of the older boys that his younger brother ran against last year.

But between them the brothers totalled 38 points, compared with 40 for the entire Pacers team last year.

"I'm very proud of them,'' said mother Betty Lambe. "They made the sacrifices by training after school.'' Temperatures on the track reached 100 degrees farenheit during the meet, causing several runners to collapse at the finish line. Still, some 16 records fell on Saturday and another 36 on Sunday. And now organisers are contemplating increasing the meet to three days next year to accomodate the growing numbers.

While Vernell also competed last year, as well as at the East Coast Invitational and with the Bermuda Union of Teachers team which went to Barbados, this was the first overseas meet for 11-year-old Vernon.

He, too, was pleased with his performances, placing fourth in the 100 metres in 14.28, second in the 200 in 28.41 and seventh in the long jump. He was ninth overall in the 400 metres heats, also failing to reach the final.

"I feel good. Last year I was third in the 100 and 200 but I didn't place in the long jump,'' said Vernell.

The younger brother pointed out that he only just pipped another boy on points for the outstanding athlete award. His rival claimed two thirds, two firsts and broke the long jump record.

The youngsters were accompanied on the trip by their father, Vernon. Because of the East Coast Invitational in Bethesda, Maryland in three weeks' time, Bermuda Pacers were unable to send a full team to the Blunt meet.

Instead they will take a team of 24 to the 23rd annual East Coast event, marking their 15th year of participation.

Vernell will be a member of that team, having already qualified, and coach Cal Simons thinks he will be a `marked man' in Maryland now that word has got out about his achievements.

"He is probably one of the most promising sprinters we have,'' said Simons.

"He also did very well in the inter-school sports.

"Both of them are very talented runners who have worked extremely hard in training and that hard work and dedication has paid off. Vernon is in his first full year and he has really improved this year.

"It was good for him to go and take part in a track meet of this calibre.

Their father took the initiative to get them to this meet because the club could not afford to take a team to both the Blunt meet and East Coast.'' Last year the East Coast Invitational involved some 3,000 competitors and that figure is expected to be topped this year.

OH BROTHER! -- Vernell (left) and Vernon Lambe helped put Bermuda on the map at last weekend's track meet at the University of North Carolina.