The island’s young athletes will be competing alongside their counterparts from the United States in the Bermuda Challenge, which will be held in conjunction with the National Cross Country Championships at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday.

The event, hosted by the Bermuda National Athletics Association in partnership with the Bermuda Tourism Authority, will see a field of invited American Secondary School athletes in action in pre-qualified races.

The event, which is in its second year, is to give the visiting athletes an experience of racing overseas while helping to to raise the competitive environment for local competitors.

Running in conjunction with the Challenge will be the national championships featuring races throughout the youth age categories, as well as open, masters and senior divisions.

In the under-10 division, the dominant duo of Adrian Myers and Yara Muhammad will be aiming to end their seasons unbeaten among their age group after winning every cross country race this year.

In the girl’s under-12 division, Sukanya Jobson will be among those challenging for honours, but faces strong competition from Jasmine Reid-Rubaine and Zaya Zuill, while Ronan Davidge, and As’ad Muhammad will be among the main contenders in the boys’ race.

There is also set to be strong competition in the under-14 girls’ division, in which Kelise Wade and Rhiana Robinson will be among those battling it out for supremacy, while Chavi Pacheco, who went undefeated in the under-12 category last year, will be aiming to repeat that feat in the older age bracket.

The under-17 girls’ division is set to be one of the most fiercely competed, with Carifta athletes Amaris Munya and Jaeda Grant going to head-to head while also contending with the added competition of visiting athletes, Sonya Johnson, Ava Neretic and Jade Golightly.

The corresponding male division will see Khari Sharrieff and Jake Smith battling it for a place on the podium against American athletes Yishai Trowbridge, Mark Suardi and Fidelis Osunkwo.

Meanwhile, Jayson Simons and Max Reid are among the main contenders to triumph in the Under-20 division.

The open and senior divisions are also expected to be highly competitive with athletes such as Tony Riker, Donna-Mae Arorash, Edwina Arorash, Florence Sharpe, Sean Kelly, Rose-Anna Hoey, Wentworth Tucker, Sara Thompson, Rebecca Shepard and Oladule Oyawa all fancied to challenge for national honours.