It was a time for celebration in Grenada on Saturday as the Bermuda men's cross country team captured their first ever medal at the CAC Cross Country Championships.

Competing over a deceptively flat course under hot, windy conditions at Queen's Park in the parish of St. George, the local quintet of Jay Donawa, Mike Watson, Tracy Wright, Jamal Hart and Calvin Steede claimed bronze, just missing the silver won by St.Lucia as only three points separated the two countries.

Bermuda totalled 54 points, while St.Lucia finished on 51 -- the first four position runners counted towards each team's score -- in covering little more than seven and a half miles, involving 10 laps of a 1,200 metre course.

Jamaica easily seized first place overall among the nine countries taking part, again proving themselves a dominant force in the Central American and Caribbean region.

"The team came through, we missed out on the silver, (but) St. Lucia had a team that was just as good as ours on the day and they came up with the silver and we the bronze,'' said national coach Gerry Swan, speaking from the No Problem Hotel yesterday.

It was no shock to Swan that Bermuda were able to break into the top three, having knocked at the door for several years.

"It was not (a surprise), because in the last few years we've been coming just out of the medal places and behind Jamaica,'' Swan continued. "We thought we'd have a go and see if we could maybe out place Jamaica, but Jamaica have been strong in this type of competition in recent years and we knew it'd be a very challenging task to go out and beat them.

"I think it became evident after about five laps that Jamaica were going to be strong enough to secure the gold medal and that we would be contesting the silver medal position with St. Lucia.'' Indeed Bermuda and St. Lucia battled tooth and nail during the middle and end portions of the competition, with the latter able to get the better of the affair when the dust finally settled.

Saturday's third place ended a string of three consecutive fourth place finishes and stood as, according to Swan, perhaps the Island's best performance at the competition.

"It's all about team tactics, which have a slightly different slant than if you're just running for yourself or for individual honours.

"And, while there were awards for the first three places individually, the main trophies went to the first three teams in each category. So I think given the fact that we achieved a medal the runners have every right to feel very pleased with what they achieved.'' Donawa led home the Bermuda contingent, placing seventh out of 29 runners, with veteran Watson 13th, Wright 17th, Hart 20th and Steede 26th.

A pair of Mexicans finished first and second, but the Central American nation did not field a complete team to figure among the team standings.

JAY DONAWA -- first Bermuda finisher and seventh overall in the CAC cross country championships in Grenada.