Italian success for Giselle Camilleri

There was more international success by Maltese athletes as St Patrick's AC runner Giselle Camilleri placed first senior in a 5km mountain race in North Italy.

The race, held in the Trentino village of Vermiglio in Val di Sole at an altitude of 1,250m, was organised by the Lega Nord.

Camilleri was presented with a trophy by the party's leader Umberto Bossi.

While in the Val di Sole region in North Italy, Camilleri, who is sponsored by Health Aid Supplements and Extran, underwent an intensive altitude-training programme.

Altitude training is known to improve the physiological functioning of long distance runners as a result of strengthening the body's oxygen transport system.

Low oxygen concentration at altitude aids in increasing the amount of red blood cells which are used to carry oxygen to the muscles, thus making the body more efficient and prolonging the onset of fatigue.

Camilleri, bronze medal winner in the 5,000m at the last Games for the Small States of Europe (GSSE), continued with her good form by coming second in last week's Birkirkara St Joseph 5k series.

Her next target is that of obtaining the qualifying time for the IAAF Road Running World Championships to be staged in Portugal next month.

The up-coming 10K organised by the Ladies Running Club will determine Malta's representatives at these championships.

The race was originally scheduled for today but has been postponed for next week due to the adverse weather of late.