Fresh from his Front Street Mile triumph the previous night, Mexican Juan Louis Barrios Nieves stormed to victory in the International 10K on Saturday, some 18 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

In doing so, the softly-spoken 22-year old from Mexico City became the first ever runner to pull off the Mile and 10K double, a feat he described in broken English afterwards as ?much special?.

Nieves crossed the line at the National Sports Centre in a time of 29 and 52 seconds, to be followed soon after by the 18-year old Kenyan Geoffrey Rono in 30:10 ? the only man able to challenge Nieves in the closing stages.

Defending champion Russian Dmitry Maximov, a four-time winner and the pre-race favourite, came home third in a time of 30:50, hinting afterwards that he had wanted to save himself for yesterday?s Half Marathon.

On a cool, breezy morning which remained dry, Nieves and another Kenyan, Elkanah Angwenyi, set the early pace out of the NSC and along Middle Road, with the likes of Australia?s Phillip Sly and Maximov only yards behind by the time they reached the Arboretum.

Just past Saltus Cavendish, Angwenyi tried to apply the pressure by mounting a break of sorts, pushing 30 yards ahead of the pack.

But this early charge could not be sustained on the long, steep hill past the squash club in Devonshire, and his marginal lead was swallowed up in a matter of minutes.

At Whitney Institute, it became a three-horse race, with Nieves, Angwenyi and Rono in first, second and third respectively ? although a clearly struggling Angwenyi dropped back at the four-mile mark and was overtaken by Maximov.

With Nieves and Rono battling it out stride for stride along North Shore, it looked at one stage as if the finish would be a thriller.

But the Mexican?s supreme power on the penultimate hill proved Rono?s undoing, as he dropped a good 40 yards back on the route past Tyne?s Bay and Nieves lengthened his stride.

With victory in sight, Nieves motored along Frog Lane towards the finish line, only occasionally glancing behind him to take a look at an exhausted Rono in the distance.

?I sleep very well last night, so I have no problems this morning after the mile? said an ecstatic Nieves afterwards.

?I came to Bermuda feeling really good ? no injuries ? and I wanted to do well because people so nice and help me a lot when I was running.

?I was comfortable the whole way today. Even near the end when it was close I plan to push really hard on the hills because at that time I am good. I pushed and he (Rono) did not stay. I?m very happy because I have worked very hard for many months and I feel strong.?

In the women?s race meanwhile, the powerful Russian, Silvia Skvortsova, claimed victory in a time of 34 minutes and 51 seconds, just over a minute faster than American Samia Akbar (35:52).

Skvortsova placed 14th overall among the 206 finishers.

Moroccan Kenza Wahbi finished third in 37:26 with American Mary Akor fourth in 37.57.

?I love the race and the weather,? Skvortova said afterwards. ?I felt good from the very beginning and did not have any problems. I love winning.?