The Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club will be staging the third and final instalment of this year’s Dash Series, which showcases some of the island’s brightest future prospects, at Flora Duffy Stadium on Friday.

Athletes aged 4 to 11 will again compete over a variety of distances during the popular event, with those aged 4 and 5 running one lap, six and seven-year-olds competing over two laps, eight to nine-year-olds racing over three laps and ten and 11-year-olds taking on the mile over four laps.

“Every time we hold a Dash event it inspires us to see children giving it their all, cheering on friends and having a blast as they loop the track,” Rose-Anna Hoey, the co-race director, told The Royal Gazette.

“We have had good competition at each event and probably had about 150 to 200 children signing up.

“There’s a wide age range from four to 11 and very significant competition in each age group with many sprint finishes.

“Family and friends in the stand also add to the fun atmosphere and often get more nervous and excited than the children themselves.

“This event could also serve as great training for children taking on the challenge of qualifying for the Front Street Mile Trials in December. It’s actually a good measure of fitness for those children.”

The top three runners in each category will earn prizes and medals are awarded to all participants. Registration can be completed online here.

Athletes can obtain their race numbers at Flora Duffy Stadium from 6pm, with racing to commence at 6:30pm with the youngest age group taking to the track first.

The 2023 season kicked off in April with hundreds of youngsters participating in the Dash at Dark for Eoghan, held in honour of teenage cancer victim Eoghan Homan, which also helped raise money for cancer charity Pals.

The late Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club runner and Somersfield Academy student died aged 16 in February at Boston Children’s Hospital following a 14-month battle against a rare and aggressive paediatric cancer, known as Ewing’s sarcoma, which affects just two children in a million.