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BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

Happy as Larry . . .

Larry Marshall completed the perfect weekend for his family, romping home to claim first place among local men in Saturday?s International 10K.

The 22-year-old, who watched his brother set a new record in the KPMG local adult Front Street Mile the previous night, was the first local to finish by more than a minute as he clocked 33 minutes and one second to claim tenth place overall in the race, run in relatively benign conditions.

The traditional Race Weekend storms held off, with just an undulating course and a few sprinkles of rain to upset the athletes and Marshall made the most of it to put in an impressive time.

Having chosen to pass on the Mile despite qualifying ? he took part in the trials merely to give his brother moral support ? Marshall had plenty to give in his one event of the weekend, which saw the best part of 400 runners and walkers turn out at the National Sports Centre for the 6.2 mile outing.

As is so often the case, Race Weekend was a chance for Marshall to compete with athletes from the tier above ? something that pre-race favourite Jay Donawa was expected to do until he chose instead just to concentrate on yesterday?s Half-Marathon.

?I?m happy with my run,? said a still-sprightly looking Marshall, who quickly got his breath back after the race in which he finished ahead of a number of elite runners.

?The aim is always to test yourself against these international guys as well as trying to make sure you stay ahead of the other locals.

?My plan was to stay with these guys as long as possible and just see what I could do.

?I hung on for a while trying to keep them in my sights, I honestly can?t remember how long, but then a couple of them just went.

?I tried to hang onto the back of the next group just for as long as I could.

?Just about 33 minutes is a little slower than I would have wanted, I was looking at something around 32.30 but I?m happy to take first out of the locals.?

Marshall?s winning start to the year sets him up nicely for his other goals ? setting new Bermuda records in the 3,000 and 5,000 metres and, of course, the May 24 Marathon Derby.

Next local in was Michael Donawa, who had competed admirably the night before in the Mile, in 34:21, with the potentially Commonwealth Games-bound Naude brothers just behind, Evan in third in 34:34 ahead of Riaan in 35:20.

First in the Under-19 age group was 14-year-old Dorian Armstrong, who completed the race in 40:27 with the traditional help of international pacemakers James Thie, Neil Speaight and Ryan Hayden, all competitors in the Mile.

Iron Lady Anna Eatherley was the first local female home, crossing in 43:30 to claim 42nd overall. Two places back in 44th was second local female Georgia Wharton who crossed the line in 44:01.

Joanna Shillington, who stumbled across the line for second in the Mile and needed rescuing by a steward to avoid a head-first fall, placed third on Saturday, finishing in a more composed fashion in 45:25.

Joanne DeSilva was fourth in 46:15, two seconds ahead of Lynn Patchett.