Debono embarks on tight running schedule abroad

At pension age most people would have long laid up their activity and opted for a mellow life. For Alfred Debono, however, it is a totally different story.

Celebrating his 62nd birthday next month, the Żurrieq Wolves veteran can reflect back on a year full of success in long dis-tance running, much of the glory accomplished outside Maltese shores.

By far the country’s most successful veteran athlete, Debono has carved a name for himself at international long distance events.

After dominating the over 50 and 55 categories for the last 10 years in the local scene, he has now ‘graduated’ to the over 60s grouping. Typically, this vintage runner celebrated the milestone with further glory doing it with class and driven by exceptional vigour and determination.

The string of success for Debono last season was endless.

In his age group, he claimed first place at the Malta Chall-enge and the marathons in Florence, Zurich, Lisbon and Vienna. He was also the first over-60 runner home in the Żurrieq and Malta half marathons and likewise in Verona and Pisa.

Fuelled by a superb start to the 2010-11 season, following victories in the Ladies’ Running Club 10km race and the St Vincent de Paule 5km run, Debono has now set his sights on a bigger challenge, perhaps best described as a mammoth athletics venture.

Coached by former Russian Olympic team member Ivan Roshnov, Debono has just embarked on a daring schedule that is taking him to two marathons and two half marathons in a span of four weeks on the other side of the Atlantic.

Yesterday, he took part in the Chicago Marathon and he is now scheduled to travel to Canada for the Toronto half marathon later on this week before participation in the Niagara Falls 22km race on October 24.

He then returns to the US to crown his trip with a run in the famous New York Marathon.

Given Debono’s sheer dedication to the sport, we are confident that he will honour Żurrieq Wolves and the Maltese athletics community besides flying the country’s flag high at these prestigious events on the international scene.