fall -- Armstrong By Jonathan Kent and Nigel Henderson It is possible for someone to run the Front Street Mile in under four minutes, believes Bermuda's Terrance Armstrong, who has flown in from Washington DC to take part in tonight's race.

The feat has never been achieved in race history, but with a $20,000 bonus up for grabs for the first runner to break four minutes, the stakes have never been higher.

And while agreeing with Armstrong that the mark could go because of a stronger field this year, defending champion Karl Paranya believes the more realistic draw is the extra $3,000 sponsors the Bank of Butterfield have put up for anyone who can better Joe Falcon's course record of 4:04.2, set in 1992.

Armstrong believes it is up to the "rabbits'' (pacemakers) to do their job.

"The course is quite difficult, but I think it's possible to run it in under four minutes,'' said Armstrong.

"It's harder to run on a road than on a track, because on a track your spikes dig in and the surface gives you more. And the two turns make Front Street a difficult course.

"All of that loses you fractions of seconds and to break four minutes you would have to run at least as well as 3:55 on a track.

"If we have good rabbits that take us through 800 metres -- no-one wants to take the pace from there and that's where you can lose a few seconds -- then you should definitely see someone get close to Joe Falcon's record.'' Paranya, who won in a thrilling sprint finish with compatriot Jeremy Huffman 12 months ago, said: "The $20,000 is definitely an inspiration. But what's probably better is the bonus for beating the course record. "When you see people like past winners Marcus O'Sullivan and Joe Falcon who failed to break four minutes you realise how tough the course is.

"I think I'm in as good shape as I was last year, although then I had one race under my belt. This is going to be my first race of the season and you don't really know what you're capable of.

"The field seems to be a little better than last year and I think it will be a more challenging race.'' Armstrong, who won a silver medal in the 1,500 metres at the CAC Championships in Barbados last summer said he loved to come home for the special atmosphere of the Front Street Mile.

"It's a great race and it's nice for me to be able to come home and show people what I can do, as they don't often get a chance to see me,'' he said.

Like Paranya, the Front Street Mile will be Armstrong's first race of the season, but he said yesterday he felt "in the best shape of my life for this time of year''.

"I haven't raced yet, but I feel like my fitness is pretty good and I will be looking for a good performance to act as a stepping stone for the season ahead,'' said Armstrong.

Armstrong's goal for 2000 is to qualify for the Sydney Olympics in September.

To do so, he must shave nearly two seconds off his 1,500 metres personal best, 3:41.97.

And his winter training at Georgetown University, Washington, has been going well, aided by unusually kind weather, with temperatures over the past three months often in the 40s and 50s.

Armstrong runs for the Reebok Enclave team in Washington and two of his team-mates will be running against him tonight, Americans Samuel Gabremariam and Steve Myers, one of the "rabbits'' (the other is Jeff Kuzma).

Paranya's time of 4:06 in 1999 was equal fifth fastest in the event's history and he has since run a road mile in 4:01 in San Diego. He also has a track mile personal best of 3:54.83.

Kenyans Ben Kapsoiya and Amos Kipyegon may be Paranya's biggest threats to a repeat victory.

Kapsoiya, who graduated from the University of Southern Indiana last year, ran under four minutes three times in 1999, his best of 3:53.3 being recorded at the State Street mile in Rockford, Illinois last August. Kipyegon's best also came in that event as he ran a second slower than his countryman. A third Kenyan, Sammy Ngeno, was the winner of the Run for Children Mile in San Francisco last October, clocking 3:58.7.

Taking the tape: Last year's Front Street Mile winner Karl Paranya is hoping for another triumph.