President's charity run attracts record crowd

Charity, health, unity and a sunny sky lured a record 6,000 joggers and walkers - way more than anticipated - to join President George Abela on a fun run from San Anton Palace to Valletta yesterday to raise money for the Malta Community Chest Fund.

The first event of its sort, originally expected to attract about 1,500 applicants, was so successful it may turn into an annual, national run. Marathons in Malta usually attracted about 800 participants at most, the organisers said.

They had ordered about 4,000 bibs, with the intention of using the remainder next year, but had to get hold of stickers in the last couple of days when applications soared to 4,400 on the eve and kept on growing until the start of the run.

Men and women of every age, dragging babies in pushchairs and even their dogs, jogged the seven kilometres to the President's Palace from Attard through Ħamrun, Blata l-Bajda and Floriana, while others opted to walk from Sta Venera.

Each paid €10 for charity - a sum that was topped up by €10,000 from the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund, presented later by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who also participated, together with his wife Kate.

The Labour Party, represented by the leader's wife Michelle Muscat and its finance spokesman Charles Mangion, also offered a donation for the cause.

The amount collected was a "good start" to L-Istrina, an overwhelmed President said, expressing his surprise at the turnout, which was testimony to the generosity of the Maltese.

Dr Abela was up early yesterday and treated himself to a hearty breakfast of toast, layered in honey, and lots of water, before the marathon.

In fact, he underlined the health promotion aspect of the event, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of fitness, apart from funds. The nation had to safeguard its health to be strong, Dr Abela, a regular jogger himself, said.

Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar also joined in the run, which culminated in St George's Square, Valletta, lined with stalls of fresh fruit for participants.

They included people who had not exercised in years, those who were driven by strictly charitable goals, others who were combining their usual jogging regime with a good cause, athletes, members of the Armed Forces of Malta and political officials.

At the start of the crowd were persons with disability, who kept up with the rest in their streamlined wheelchairs, accompanied by a group on Segways, the two-wheeled electric vehicles, enjoying an easier ride.

They flowed through Republic Street, in Valletta until they reached the bottleneck created outside the President's Palace - probably the hardest leg of the 45-minute run. The President, the Prime Minister and their wives were surrounded - and almost stampeded - by the participants and the enthusiasm got out of hand until they managed to squeeze their way into the palace.

Dr Abela continued jogging up the stairs to the balcony, where he threw his cap over to the ecstatic crowd. "The important thing is that we enjoyed it," he said about the Banif Bank-sponsored President's Charity Fun Run, a fitting warm-up to L-Istrina, blessed by even warmer weather.