The upset of a reigning champion; a new record for a hometown favourite and an expatriate following in his brother's footsteps - such were the highlights of the premier races in last night's annual Front Street Mile.

First it was Bermuda's own Ashley Couper who had the vociferous throngs lining Hamilton's main road screaming her on to a record-shattering victory of four minutes. 57.36 seconds in the Adult Female race.

Then it was the race of the night - the Elite Mile - and a crushing defeat for defending champion Leonard Mucheru at the hands, or more appropriately feet - of Welsh runner James Thie in his maiden appearance in Bermuda.

Producing an astounding show of pace and strength in the race's second half, the 24-year-old crossed the line in 4:10.21, well outside Mucheru's record of 4:02.60 but very creditable given the windy conditions.

Mucheru, who was off to a flying start, was also edged out on the line by American Christian Hesch, the latter repeating his silver-medal performance of last year. Bermuda's Terrance Armstrong finished sixth in the seven-man field.

Thie credited his success to a lesson learnt from racing Mucheru in last year's Fifth Avenue Mile in New York.

"I caught him at 1,200 metres there and he got away from me so today when I caught him I thought `Right I'm going straight by you. I'm not going to give you a second wind'. I think that might have been the difference today. I have a bit more self-confidence now and it showed definitely.

"I was just thinking `Let's get there (to the finish) because I don't know who's coming'. I just held my form and that's fantastic. What a result!" said the ecstatic winner who blew by Mucheru in front the Cenotaph en route to the finish.

Graceful in defeat, the dethroned Kenyan noted the wind factor in his loss, stating he "could not move" when Thie pounced.

"I could not respond . . . because he has more weight, he has the ability to break the wind. I am happy with the result. Based on the shape I am in and this time of the year, it's not so bad," said the 24-year-old, promising to return and "put the record somewhere safe".

Hesch, also 24, was pleased to have done well running his own race, noting there was no way he could have maintained the fast early pace.

"I had to run even steven. I didn't think I was going to be able to get him (Mucheru) but finally I managed to pip him. It felt good, real good."

It was a great feeling for Couper who dismissed her team-mate Tamika Williams' challenge with a dominant performance which saw her opening a lead from in front of Docksiders pub as she motored up to the Longtail turn. As she headed for home, it was her against the clock - and she beat it, eclipsing her 2001 record of 5:01.02.

"It's just great. I did not think it (the record) was possible tonight with the wind the way it was but Tamika took me out really fast and once I saw the time at the three-quarter (of a mile) mark, I knew I had to run the last bit in under 75 seconds. So I just turned it on and keep telling myself `Turn it over, you're almost there'," said the 25-year-old.

Williams, who trains with Couper in the USA, commended her friend's run, adding she wished she could have stayed with Couper "a bit longer in the race" and therefore clocked better than 5:18.01. However, the 24-year-old termed it "a great start" to her 800-metre season.

English expatriate Joanna Shillington proved the race's surprise package, taking third from Victoria Fiddick. The 26-year-old accountant moved here in October and enjoyed every second of her 5:36.64 run.

"It's my first race in Bermuda and it was wonderful. I had no idea it was such a big event," said an excited Shillington.

She and Evan Naude will no doubt be the toast of their company, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, next week.

Naude kept the Adult Male title in his family by emulating his brother Riaan's triumph last year. The 26-year-old won in 4:34.70 ahead of Sheldon Thompson and Devoe Whaley respectively.

"I am very happy. It was fantastic. The encouragement from the crowd was enormous," declared South African Naude who has been here four months.