Some of the island’s brightest prospects lived up to expectations during the Primary, Middle and Senior School Butterfield Mile races.

CedarBridge Academy’s Tajahri Rogers claimed a maiden Senior School boys title in 4min 49.49sec to underline his potential.

“At the beginning, obviously, it was easy but coming back from the Birdcage the wind started to gradually pick up so I had to pick up the pace as well,” he said. “And since I was front I had to stick to that pace so they would have to stick with me or let me go.”

Rogers shrugged off a challenge from Berkeley’s Khari Sharrieff to take the win.

“Khari stayed with me so I just had to battle with him and it was just all out coming back.”

Berkeley’s J’auza James finished second in 4:55.27 with Sharrieff ultimately finishing third in 4:56.49.

Saltus student Jaeda Grant pipped Bermuda High School’s Fenella Wightman by just one second to clinch the Senior School title at the first attempt in one of the closest finishes of the night.

“The race was much harder than I expected,” said Grant, who stopped the clock at 5:42.19.

“The hardest part was the last hundred because when I started to sprint my legs started to burn and the wind was knocking me almost into another person,” she added.

Shayla Cann, of Warwick Academy, made it on to the podium in third.

Her schoolmate, Cameron Adkins, claimed a maiden Middle School boys title in 5:06.47.

“I was trying to go for the record and put it under five but you could never tell what the weather was going to be,” he said.

“The headwind going back made it harder to push to go under five, but I won so there’s nothing I can complain about.”

Declan Reardon finished second ahead of Warwick Academy’s Zydon Furbert 5:16.44.

Another top prospect living up to expectations was Sandys student Kelise Wade, who won the middle school girls title.

“It feels good to win,,” she said. “My goal was to run under six minutes and I actually did that.”

Somers Estwanik, daughter of multiple Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby champions Ashley Couper and Chris Estwanik, took silver with Aria Mosquera winning bronze.

Harrington Sound’s Paz Francis claimed the Primary School boys title in 6:00.53.

“The win felt good,” he said. “It was hard but it was good. The last part was hard because I thought my friend [Ronan Davidge] was going to come in first but I didn’t let him beat me.”

Davidge (6:01.14) and Adrian Myers (6:05.20) finished second and third respectively.

Warwick Academy’s Naomi McGuinness claimed the Primary School girls title in 6:09.92.

“It was my first time and it feels good to win it,” she said.

Purvis Primary’s Sukanya Jobson finished a gallant second ahead of Zaya Zuill.