An Olympic Games trialist from the United States, and the skipper of Oracle Team USA added a touch of spice to the Bermuda Healthcare Services “Sir Stanley” Burgess 5K road race yesterday.

Chayce Smith continued his string of victories with an impressive performance that left his rivals trailing in his wake. He stopped the clock at 15min 54sec, all the more impressive as he had warmed up for the race by doing a speed-work session.

Smith, 28, was followed across the line by Ian Nurse, an American long-distance running specialist who finished in 16:39.

Third runner was dynamic Iziah Tucker, 13, in a commendable 17:43.

First woman was Amanda Nurse, setting an event record of 18:07 as she finished fourth overall. She was enjoying the final day of a short vacation on the island and decided to enter the race before flying home to Boston.

Nurse competed in the US Olympic team trials at the Los Angeles Marathon in February, where she ran a time of 2:49. She has a personal best for that distance of 2:40.

Yesterday, the 28-year-old and her husband Ian, runner-up in the men’s race, ran six miles from the Fairmont Southampton to the 5K start line at Prospect before competing in the race.

“I haven’t done a race since the LA marathon, and I did not know what to expect today, Nurse said. “I loved the downhills, but it was a little hot and humid and I felt the heat towards the end.”

She had visited the island once before, as a high school student, doing research at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences.

However, Bermuda was an all new experience for her husband Ian, although at the race he met up with former school colleague, Bermuda’s Anna Laura Hocking, who was fresh back from an impressive run at last weekend’s Virgin Money London Marathon.

“We’ve been here for a few days and I wanted to do a race,” he said. “I’ve never raced on an island before.”

During the 5K he pursued Smith as he ran away from the field, but was not able to get near enough to mount a challenge.

However, the Nurses said they had enjoyed their mini-break in Bermuda and the couple hope to return, possibly for the Bermuda Marathon Weekend in January.

Second in the women’s race was Gayle Lindsay, 27, who kept Amanda Nurse firmly in her sights during the early stages and as a consequence ran the first half of the race much quicker than usual. She was rewarded with a personal best of 19:29 as she finished seventh overall.

Third woman was Laura Wright in 21:34.

Also running was Oracle Team USA’s James Spithill, 36, who showed a clean pair of heels to most of the competitors as he crossed the finish line ninth overall in 20:50.

There were 120 runners in the 5K, with many coming from the Beat the Couch fitness group, who were given the added incentive of staying the course and proving they could beat an actual couch on wheels that was being pushed by a small group of runner, which included former May 24 champions Ashley Estwanik and Deon Breary.

A junior 2K race was impressively won by Jessie Marshall, 13, in 7:37, ahead of Yari Tucker in 7:44, and Myisha Sharrieff in 8:37.

The 5K walk was won by Rebecca Perry in 35:08, ahead of Gilda Cann in 36:32 and Beverley Barton in 38:20.