Grech, Camilleri on top in race two

On a day when temperatures soared to the mid-30's, a spate of personal bests marked the second race of the Birkirkara St Joseph Road Running Series 2008, held last week.

Race winner Gerald Grech was just one second away from the course record set last year by Jonathan Balzan. Giselle Camilleri is certainly the female runner of the moment with another emphatic victory in this series.

Grech, of AS Libertas, led a group of athletes from the start until the third kilometre when he started to open a gap on nearest rivals Brian Magri (Athleta Pembroke) and Drew Lang (St Patrick's AC).

Grech finished the race in 15 minutes 52 seconds, eight seconds ahead of veteran Magri. Lang was third in 16 minutes 24 seconds.

In the women's race, Camilleri (St Patrick's AC) clocked 18 minutes 15 seconds to register her second victory in front of Athleta Pembroke's Joelle Cortis (19:15) and St Patrick's Camen Hili (19.30).

The third race in this series will be held on Tuesday, August 26, on the Mtarfa By-Pass, starting at 7 p.m.