The Heritage Day Junior Classic is always an exciting spectacle and the 28th instalment of race proved no exception as the island’s top prospects grasped their moment to shine on the big stage with both hands.

Claiming overall boys’ and girls’ honours this year were Nicolas Gomez Caines and Freya Dunkle, who punched above their weight to add their names to a distinguished list of past winners, which include newly crowned Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby champion and Olympic triathlete Tyler Smith.

Caines led the entire field home in 11min 6sec, while Dunkle also had cause for celebration having secured girls’ honours after crossing 22nd overall in 13min 14sec.

Both runners achieved the double as Caines also won the boys’ 13-15 age group and Dunkle, who was among those returning this year, the girls’ 8-10 title.

Spencer Haldeman (11:18) was second overall and second in the boys’ 13-15 division followed by Tobiah Goodchild, who rounded off the overall podium a further six seconds adrift in 11:24.

Also punching above their weight were Naomi Nusum (13:26), daughter of former professional footballer and assistant national coach John Barry Nusum, and Vivienne Fox (14:11) who completed the overall girls’ podium.

Goodchild, who was second overall last year and among the athletes returning this year, and Azari Jones (15:54) were the only runners in the boys’ and girls’ 16-17 age groups.

Dage Butterfield (11:31) took third in the boys’ 13-15 division with siblings Liam (11:55) and Nolan Horrobin (11:58) claiming the boys’ 11-12 and 8-10 titles. Liam, who was crowned boys’ 8-10 champion last year, was the only winner from the previous race competing among the 67-strong field.

Isaac Wookey (12:33) and Khaleef Daley (12:37) were second and third in the boys’ 11-12 division, as were Heath Kempe (12:14) and Elliott Davidge (12:23) in the boys’ 8-10 age group. Daley was also among the returning athletes that competed in the event last year.

Zahra Goodchild (17:20) was the sole competitor in the girls’ 13-15 age group, while Yara Muhammad (14:30) claimed the girls’ 11-12 title after finishing ahead of sole rival Keziah Symonds-Smith (14:46).

Race fans were again treated to some outstanding performances as the youngsters dazzled in the front of the big crowds lining the two-mile course, among them race co-founder and sponsor Dennis Lister, of Lister Insurance Agency.

“It’s always an exciting race and good to watch those young people come out and do what they’ve got to do [having] trained to be out there, and they want to be recognised just like the seniors do in the half-marathon,” the Speaker of the House told The Royal Gazette.

“They come out and put their heart and soul into it, and we’re always pleased to see the number of students who come out and love the support that the parents give to it, so it was just another of those fantastic years.”

Since its inception the race has helped groom the skills of future top athletes such as Smith and Ryan Outerbridge, who finished first and second in this year’s Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby.

“This year was pretty significant in that the first and second place male both raced in the Junior Heritage Classic back in their day and won it,” Lister said.

“Tyler Smith and Ryan Outerbridge won it, I think back to back in 2014 and 2015, so it just speaks to how the young runners go on and perform in the senior races after they age out of the junior race.

“We’ve had a number of the junior runners who have participated in the senior race once they became eligible to perform in the half-marathon run. It’s good to see that tradition continuing and it’s good to see that our runners go on to actually become winners in the half-marathon.”

Seven winners from last year’s event were absent from this year’s field, including overall boys’ and girls’ champions Hasim Ming and Naomi MacGuinness.