Exactly 700 young athletes tore their way around the track at Flora Duffy Stadium in gorgeous conditions at the Skyport Magic Mile on Saturday afternoon.

With hotly contested fields all the way from the 4-year-old age group up to the 12 to 15 division, there was plenty of nascent talent showcasing their speed in front of hundreds of family members and friends in what proved a vibrant atmosphere.

After some pre-race entertainment from the PHC majorettes and drum corps, the 4-year-old girls kicked proceedings off on the stroke of midday, with the 58 runners split into two heats for the one-lap race.

Overall victory was taken by heat one winner Yannis Deshields, who crossed the line in 2min 2.10sec, more than nine seconds clear of runner-up Amai Casey who was in the same heat. Heat two winner Rickiyah Saltus finished third overall in 2:12.92.

The 4-year-old boys race was again split into two heats with the first four overall all coming from heat one. Top honours went to Leo Butterworth, who finished in 2:05.80, ahead of Thomas Cooper (2:09.33), Kailo Young (2:09:54) and Sa’ Wall-Perkins (2:09.74). The winner of heat two, Finlay Hunter, finished fifth overall in 2:10.40.

Sloane Outerbridge, the winner of heat one in the 5-year-old girls race, also took top honours overall with her time of 1:48.44 for a six-second win over Zoey Trott (1:54.83). Heat two winner Xaya Burrows finished third overall in 1:58.38.

With 87 runners, the 5-year-old boys race featured the most runners in any division with the competitors split into three heats. Overall victory went to heat one winner Domenic Bent in 1:45.19. The runner-up in that heat, Beau Hollinger, also finished second overall with a time of 1:48.40. Heat three winner Crue Hollis (1:48.51) finished third overall, with Hayden Smith (1:52.10) victorious in heat two.

There was a close finish to the six-year-old girls race with the first three overall all coming out of the first of two heats. Raelyn Robinson ultimately took first prize after stopping the clock at 3:34.57, just edging out Zhuri Goodchild (3:36.73) and Satya Tuzo-Smith (3:43.58). Karis Gardner won the second heat, with her time of 3:52.32 good enough for fifth overall.

Koa Bean (3:17.97) produced a fine performance in heat one of the 6-year-old boys race to grab the honours. Neymar Mullings (3:23.25) finished runner-up to Bean both in his heat and overall, with Maurice Williams, the winner of heat two, making it on to the podium in third.

The first three runners in heat two of the 7-year-old girls race also took the top three spots overall, with Vivienne Fox (3:16.94) beating Ramyah Swan (3:23.86) and Indigo Kemp (3:26.69). Nea Fosker (3:32.32), winner of heat one, finished fourth overall.

It was a similar story in heat one of the 7-year-old boys race with the first three home in heat one also taking the top three places overall. Carter Anderson (3:03.69) made it on to the top rung of the podium ahead of Jamie Kane (3:05.77) and Jace Hunter (3:14.30). Brooklyn Emery, who won heat two in 3:19.74, finished sixth overall.

There was a clear winner in the race for girls aged 8 and 9, with Kamari Brooks-Gibbons, who was successful in the third of the three heats, crossing the line in 4:44.87. That was enough to beat Naomi Nusum (4:55.86) by nearly 11 seconds. Freya Dunkle (4:57.64), who finished second to Brooks-Gibbons in her heat, was third overall. Heat one winner Lilianna Corbett (4:59.17) finished fourth overall.

The top three places in the race for boys aged 8 and 9 were all filled from heat three, with Conor Kane (4:32.82) beating Heath Kemp (4:38.41) and Tizai Simmons (4:38.53). Takudzwa Benza (4:45.34), heat one winner, and Theodore Smith (4:39.10), successful in heat two, finished fifth and fourth respectively.

The remaining races were not as well subscribed with just one event needed for the older age groups.

Evelyn Fahy ran out a clear-cut winner in the girls aged 10 and 11 division after completing her race in 6:01.16. Yara Muhammad (6:20.84) and Charleigh Gilchrist (6:21:24) rounded out the podium places.

Khaleef Daley picked up yet another prize after winning the race for boys aged 10 and 11 in a time of 5:51.51. But he was pushed hard by runner-up David Todd (5:56.99) and Jemani Scott (6.02.88), who finished third.

Timothy Pearman (5:25.28), Legend McIntosh (5:30.79) and Hasim Ming (5:30.82) were the first three boys home in the 12 to 15 race, with Elena Bortoli (5:58.76), Harper Franklin (6:17.27) and Daley Outerbridge (6:26.34) picking up medals in the girls race.