have pulled out of this week's International Race Weekend due to injury.

American Karl Paranya, winner of the last two elite mile races, and 2000 marathon winner Morocco's El Afoui Boubker both hurt themselves in training last week, said Race Weekend organisers yesterday.

And another champion, 10K king Sammy Ng'eno of Kenya, may miss out on the chance to defend his title as his father is ill, having suffered a stroke last week.

But better news for local fans from yesterday's press conference given by event organisers Bermuda Track and Field Association is that Bermudian 1500 metres specialist Terrance Armstrong will compete in both the mile and the 10K.

Armstrong was the top local in last year's 10K, finishing sixth overall, and the Washington-based runner also finished a creditable fifth in the mile.

As of yesterday, 827 competitors had signed up for this weekend's marathon, half-marathon and 10K races, around 100 down on the same stage last year.

Numbers have been boosted by the Leukaemia Lymphoma Society, with 370 members from 14 different chapters flying over from the US.

Armstrong is one of 10 elite runners who will be flown in by organisers this week for Friday night's mile. Six of the field have broken the four-minute barrier.

BTFA president Judith Simmons confirmed yesterday that there would be a $10,000 bonus for the first runner to break the four-minute barrier in the curtain-raiser on Front Street and a similar amount on offer to anyone breaking a marathon record.

Though the line-up lacks well known names, eight elite men and six elite women will compete in Saturday morning's 10K, while 10 elite athletes, five men and five women, will contest the marathon.

If Ng'eno does make it, he will be gunning for a mile and 10K double, though he will face tough competition in the mile from fellow countrymen Ben Kapsoiya, who has an impressive best time of 3:53.3, and Leonard Mucheru.

And if Ng'eno is to defend his 10K crown on what he described last year as "the toughest course he had ever run'', his stiffest challenge could come from another Kenyan and the 1997 winner, Stephen Nyamu, whose best time for the distance of 27:09 is some 45 seconds better than that of Ng'eno.

In the women's 10K, Canadian Courtney Babcock will be aiming for a hat-trick of victories. But among those out to stop her will be Slovakian Petra Stavskova, whom Babcock beat into second place last year and Grace Momany of Kenya, whose personal best is 32:14.

Seven of the 10 elite marathon runners are Russians, though one of them, Fedor Ryjov, who has posted the quickest time in the field of 2:12:59, now lives in Portugal.

Ryjov is reputed to be a good runner of hilly courses in hot conditions and is a three-time winner of the Phillippines Marathon.

As well as three other Russians, Aleksey Belosludtsev, Grigoriy Murzin and Oleg Kharitonov, all with best times under 2:19, Ryjov will be up against Brazil's Luiz Carlos S. Ramos, winner of the Buenos Aires Marathon in 1998 and 1999.

In the women's marathon, two-time winner Yelena Plastinina of the Ukraine will be looking to better her record for the event, of 2:40:50.

But defending champion Lyudmila Korchagina, of Russia, will be keen to defend her crown.

A sponsored charity walk will be held in conjunction with the 10K run on Saturday morning, starting at 10.00 a.m. at the National Sport Centre, with proceeds going to the Bermuda Diabetes Association.

Pledge forms are available from Sportseller and the hospital. Myra Brayham, of the BDA, said yesterday there would be an aerobic warm-up session for walkers prior to the walk, starting at 9.15 a.m.

Competitors are reminded that the marathon and half-marathon races will start at the new, earlier time of 8.00 a.m. on Sunday. The courses have been slightly altered so both races start and finish outside the Number One Passenger Terminal.

Electronic timing will be used for all races this year.

ELITE RUNNERS FRONT STREET MILE Sammy Ng'eno (Kenya) 3:55 Leonard Mucheru (Kenya) 3:56 Scott Anderson (US) 3:59.76 Samuel Gabremariam (US) 3:59 Rich Tremain (Canada) 3:58.8 Mohamed Amyn (Morocco) 4:00.1 Ben Kapsoiya (Kenya) 3:53.3 Matthew Kerr (Canada) 4:01.2 Francis Kirwa (Kenya) 4:01 Terrance Armstrong (Bermuda) 4:02 10K -- MEN Sammy N'geno (Kenya) 27:54 Leonard Muchero (Kenya) 28:03 Mohamed Amyn (Morocco) 28:25 Stephen Nyamu (Kenya) 27:09 Francis Kirwa (Kenya) 28:48 Phillip Castillo (US) 29:20 Michael Donnelly (US) 28:24 Terrance Armstrong (Bermuda) 31:05 10K -- WOMEN Courtney Babcock (Canada) 32:13 Grace Momany (Kenya) 32:14 Katie McGregor (US) 32:33 Naomi Wangui (Kenya) 33:15 Tania Jones (Canada) 33:22 Petra Staskova (Slovakia) 34:50 MARATHON -- MEN Fedor Ryjov (Portugal) 2:12:59 Aleksey Belosludtsev (Russia) 2:14:55 Grigoriy Murzin (Russia) 2:16:25 Luiz Carlos S. Ramos (Brazil) 2:14:36 Oleg Kharitonov (Russia) 2:18:24 MARATHON -- WOMEN Lyoudmila Kortchaguina (Russia) 2:34:39 Yelena Plastinina (Ukraine) 2:33:26 Elena Paramonova (Russia) 2:35:03 Anfissa Kossatcheva (Russia) 2:34:12 Ewa Fliegert (Poalnd) 2:38:52 Sammy Ng'eno: father's illness may prevent his return for the 10K.