Sadly, Charles Mulinga's visit to Bermuda won't be remembered for his emphatic victory in Saturday's International 10K.

Instead, it will be remembered for the vicious beating he suffered on Sunday night outside a Hamilton nightclub after an evening out celebrating that win.

Regardless of who instigated the incident which today leaves Mulinga nursing his wounds in King Edward Hospital, Bermuda could emerge from what had previously been another largely successful International Race Weekend as the biggest loser.

Make no mistake, the tale of how Zambia's top distance runner and 1996 Olympian came under attack will be told and re-told among running circles around the world and likely documented in athletic and other sporting magazines.

Potential damage to both the event and the Island is immeasurable.

Fortunately, the vast majority of those who embark on their annual pilgrimage to Race Weekend each January will tell their friends that Mulinga's misfortune was an isolated incident that could have occurred anywhere in the world.

As three-time half-marathon winner Paul Freary emphasised, during his six trips he's encountered "nothing but friendly people.'' But while the likes of Freary and other repeat competitors who have already been hooked on Race Weekend can be counted upon to return, it's the new blood which event organisers attempt to attract each year who must now be of concern.

Anybody who has never raced in Bermuda, hearing or reading of the Mulinga episode, might think twice before confirming their travel plans. As with tourism in general, Race Weekend competes with other destinations which can often offer as much if not more.

Houston for instance staged its own international marathon on the same day as Bermuda's, rewarding its female winner with a $30,000 cheque. Bermuda's female champion, Ukrainian Yelena Plastinina came away with $13,000 -- and that included $10,000 as a bonus for breaking the record.

True, the vast majority of Race Weekend's new visitors, even the elite athletes, come to Bermuda not for monetary gain, but because the glowing tributes the event has always commanded lead them to believe it's a weekend worth experiencing.

Bermuda, previously, has prided itself on fulfilling those expectations.

But when athletes talk of the 1998 edition, Mulinga's vicious beating just a few hours after receiving his trophies will likely be the topic of conversation.

And that doesn't bode well for the future -- either for Bermuda, Race Weekend or the growing number of international events to which this tiny island plays host.