Over 150 athletes recently gathered in hot and humid conditions at Ta’ Qali for the 20th 10km race organised by the Ladies Running Club (LRC) and sponsored by Mdina Glass for the last 17 years.

As always, the race attracted some of the best runners on the local scene and Cyril Merle, from France, added an international flavour to the event.

Merle dominated the men’s race to win in 32:08 – bettering Jonathan Balzan’s winning time last year by 20 seconds and establishing a new record for the route, introduced two years ago.

Merle blasted off from the start and immediately established an appreciable lead, which he had extended to some 300 metres by the finish.

Balzan and Brian Magri fought it out for second place.

Any hope they may have had that Merle’s three-minute-a-kilometre pace was not consistent with his form over the long haul proved futile. In the end, Balzan clocked 33:08, well ahead of Magri, 33:56.

As always, the race revealed a number of up and coming runners who may soon be vying for the top positions, the likes of Mario Grech, who placed fourth, and Melvin Mifsud. The latter out-sprinted Johann Galea to clinch sixth place, only a few seconds behind established veteran Drew Lang.

As for the women, Lisa Bezzina was in the unfamiliar position of not having to contend with race record holder and multiple winner Carol Walsh who opted out this year.

Bezzina fulfilled expectations, winning in 39:09 after a solo run.

Angela Sammut was second in a creditable 40:36 while marathon specialist Carmen Hili edged out Marisa Muscat for third place.

LRC members, Cecilia and Corinne Degaetano, mother and daughter respectively, won the 70+ and 35+ categories and Francesca Arrigo was the first LRC member to breast the ribbon, securing this honour for the fifth consecutive time.