good things coming in small packages. What the 12 athletes lacked in size, they more than made up for it in spirit.

The event -- on Saturday at the US Naval Air Station in St. David's -- featured a thrilling showdown between a couple of former Ironkids champions -- Grant Smith and Trevor Hedges -- who traded leads in two of the three events, the three-mile run and 10-mile cycle race.

The 15-year-olds raced side by side during the last 400 metres of their impressive run -- the day's last event -- and as they rounded the last corner Hedges appeared to take the lead, but a determined Smith pulled level.

The runners subsequently finished in a dead heat with both claiming the right to be crowned the first-ever Bermuda Junior National champions, running the course in 56:44.

Craig Fergusson captured the 600 metres swim in a time of 7:33, ahead of William Massey. Two-time Ironkids champ and the meet's only female competitor, Tamika Williams finished in third place.

Grant Smith exhibited the same kind of tenacity he showed on the bike a week earlier in the National Cycling Championships, as he edged Hedges in another exciting showdown between the pair.

In the 17 to 18 years age group, Adam Smith was third off the bike, with Ferguson fourth and Williams fifth.

Almost four minutes behind the leaders, Kris Hedges entered the transition area looking as if he was headed for seventh place. However, he turned in a blistering sprint of 21:14 -- the second fastest time of the day -- and two seconds slower than his older brother Trevor, to finish third overall and capturing his age group title in 1:01:04.

Adam Smith maintained his form in all three events and finished fourth overall, also taking his age group with a time of 1:01:14.

Unchallenged, Williams added the female national title to her impressive pair of Ironkids victories.

In spots five through 12 were Ferguson (1:04:29); William Massey (1:07:01); Duncan Simons (1:08:04); Kalvin Bean (1:08:53); Tamika Williams (1:12:21); Jibreel Talbot (1:13:41); Carlton Williams (1:16:02) and Khomeini Talbot (1:16:07).