Jonathan Balzan made it three wins in a row at the Maxim Sports Nutrition Żurrieq Half Marathon, the 13th edition of which was held earlier this month.
Weather conditions on race day were far from perfect due to strong winds blowing from west southwest which hindered the runners for most of the distance.
Balzan still led all the way to finish in 1:12.42 ahead of Pembroke Athleta duo Brian Magri (1:15.04) and Drew Lang (1:16.30). Richard Chetcuti, of Mellieħa AC, and Żurrieq Wolves runner Adrian Mifsud were fourth and fifth respectively.
With 2009 winner Carol Walsh absent, this year’s race was sure to produce a new champion in the women’s half marathon.
It was evident from the start that there was going to be a two-horse race in this category involving Joelle Cortis, who was making her debut in Żurrieq, and Annalaura Mugno, the Italian who registered promising times leading to this race.
At the halfway mark, Mugno changed tactics and began to pull clear. She went on to finish first in 1:27.36, three minutes ahead of Cortis. Josann Attard was third.
The team category was won by Pembroke, represented by Magri, Lang and Mario Pisani. The Mellieħa trio, Chetcuti, Johan Galea and Stephen Borg were second, and Micallef, Melvin Mifsud and Joseph Abdilla, who represented Żurrieq Wolves, third. St Patrick’s AC (Cortis, Paula Briffa and Daniela Cumbo) were the top team in the women’s category.
The half marathon was organised by host club Żurrieq Wolves ASC in conjunction with the Żurrieq Local Council. In all, 129 runners took part and 119 completed the race.
This year’s half marathon attracted a number of foreign athletes, including a group of 14 Italians. Other overseas runners hailed from Germany, France, England and Hungary.
This year, the route had to be altered due to the closure of part of the original route at around the two-kilometre mark.
In a statement, race director John Bezzina said that, over the past few years, the organisers felt the need to change the itinerary and eliminate some risky points. Changes were also necessary to avoid having the lead car going against the flow of traffic during parts of the race.
Other suggestions were also taken into consideration before the changes were adopted.