John Wassenaar is emerging as a challenger for Kavin Smith's crown as the king of road running in Bermuda.

Canadian Wassenaar, who has turned in a series of impressive times since he moved to the Island eight months ago, said his goal was to one day beat Smith, who has won every race he has entered this year.

Wassenaar, a 26-year-old accountant with Olympia Capital, has the credentials to run Smith close, but he admitted he was still far from his best.

In last Sunday's MRM Five Flat Miles, Smith beat the native of Toronto into second place by 21 seconds, after Wassenaar had led for much of the race.

Wassenaar has some impressive personal best times dating from his days at Boston College, where he was on a sports scholarship earned through his ability in the steeplechase.

He first caught the eye in Bermuda when he was the third resident and 12th overall to finish in the International Race Weekend 10K, in 35:28. But that was well short of his 10K best of 30:57.

He has only ever run one marathon -- in an impressive 2:28:20 -- and one half-marathon, in 1:08:08. Smith set the Bermuda half-marathon record last year in 1:08:51.

Wassenaar's time of 27:13 on Sunday pales in comparison to his best over five miles of 24:35.

But Wassenaar fears he will never scale those heights again because of a shin injury which required corrective surgery and interrupted his running career.

In an attempt to cure the problem, caused by the pressure of muscle against bone, Wassenaar had an operation three years ago. But it was unsuccessful and months after he resumed training the injury recurred.

Wassenaar remembered: "I could not feel the bottom of my foot. I tried to run through it, but in the end I had to stop.'' He quit running for 18 months and only started training seriously again towards the end of last year.

"In December, I started doing 15 to 20 miles a week and by January I was up to 25-plus. In the last two or three weeks, I've been covering 35 to 40 miles and I hope to get up to 60 a week eventually,'' said Wassenaar.

"Kavin Smith is a very strong runner and he poses quite a challenge to me, but my goal is to hopefully beat him one day.'' The pair may race against each other again tomorrow in the Lindo's 10K, but Wassenaar did not expect to come out on top.

"It's a bit longer distance and I think I will suffer through that, because I haven't put in the training to be able to maintain a good pace,'' he said.

"I hope to have a try at the half-marathon in May, but I don't think I'll be back in top form until at least next year and I might never get back to my best.

"This year it will be difficult, as I'm still stepping up my training and I'm not yet used to the heat here.''