Balzan, Galea top the charts

The Ladies Running Club (LRC) last week held its annual race, the Mdina Glass LRC6.

The race, now in its 15th consecutive year, started as usual from in front of the Mdina Glass factory in Ta' Qali. The 10km route took athletes down to the Rabat road where they turned left into Attard, limits of Mosta, past St Catherine's Hospital and on to Ta' Qali to finish back at the Mdina Glass factory.

In the men's race, the three main contenders were Jonathan Balzan, Brian Magri and Drew Lang. All three settled in an initial group of five, and passed the one-mile mark in a conservative 5min 16secs.

Balzan increased the pace thereafter, forcing Magri to break from the chasing pack in an attempt to keep the leader within sight. After three miles, covered in 15min 55secs, Balzan built a 50-metre lead over Magri who held a similar gap over Lang.

Balzan maintained his form till the end, winning by 51 seconds in 32:55. Meanwhile, the battle for second place was won by the resilient Lang, who swept past a tiring Magri in the last kilometre. Lang and Magri finished in 33:36 and 33:50 respectively.

In the women's race, Carol Galea was never pressed and won comfortably in 36:54. Lisa Bezzina placed second in 37:27. Angela Sammut was third in 39:03.

In the veterans' categories, the winners were: Men O-40 - Peter Azzopardi; O-45 - Martin Agius; O-50 - Stephen Mifsud; O-55 - Alfred Camilleri; O-60 - George Goodall; O-65 - Victor Spiteri; O-70 - Teddi Skolbol.

Women O-35 - Nadia Portelli; O-40 - Cecilia Fenech; O-45 - Mary Rose Herd; O-50 - Lydia Barbara; O-55 - Liz Said; O-60 - Doris Scicluna.

Besides the main race, the organisers held a four-mile walk which attracted a satisfactory number of participants. Part of the proceeds from the race and walk will be given to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.