More than 100 committed runners ranging in age from six to 81 descended on the Botanical Gardens on Saturday morning for the Bermuda National Athletics Association X-Country Series.

With a high turnout of athletes ensuring some competitive action particularly in the younger age groups, victory in certain categories were well and truly earned.

The biggest field of the day came in the one-mile run for girls aged ten or younger with 21 athletes making the start line. Nine-year-old Solae Goater came out on top over Zaya Zuill in a tight finish to win by less than a second.

The closing stages of the boys race in the same age group was equally as tight with eight-year-old Adrian Myers also scraping home with less than a second to spare over runner-up Liam Horrobin.

If Sukanya Jobson had looked over her shoulder as she approached the finish of the one-mile run for girls aged 10 or 11, she would have seen only daylight as she came home nearly 20 seconds ahead of her nereat rival Elena Bortoli.

Chavi Pacheco Hill followed up his victory at Fort Scaur a couple of weeks ago by again coming out on top in the boys’ 10-11 age group. He came home more than half a minute clear of Paz Francis.

Azari Jones and Cameron Adkins were the winners of the girls and boys 12-13 age group respectively, with the former the only athlete in her event to dip under 14 minutes.

Jaeda Grant showed her superiority in the three-mile run for girls aged 14-16. She finished nearly eight minutes clear of her nearest competitor and her time was also more than 20 seconds quicker than Max Reid, who won the boys event in the same age group.

Jake Brislane followed up his victory in the Swans Charity 5k last week with another easy victory in the 17-19 age group. The Swans Charity race was run in honour of Edwina Arorash and she finished runner-up in the 60-69 age group at the Botanical GArdens behind Zina Jones.

Special mention must go to 81-year-old Mike Rickards, who finished the three-mile run in just over half an hour.