Cancer survivor rows into the record books

Cancer survivor Thomas Cremona rowed himself into the record books today when he completed a 24-hour row on a machine in Bay Street.

Mr Cremona, 22, started his attempted at noon yesterday and completed it amid applause at noon today.

Tired but ecstatic, he said his main purpose was to show that there is life after cancer, and to raise funds for Puttinu Cares.

Mr Cremona survived acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was four years old. He spent about four weeks in hospital followed by nine months of chemotherapy.

After years of regular medical check-ups, his cancer was found to be in remission.

The record he broke was previously held by Briton Vincent Brunning from Plymouth, for 20 hours of rowing in October 2009.on.

Mr Cremona next month will attempt to be the first Maltese person to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The young athlete will form part of a group of six rowers from various countries, who will aim to break the mid-Atlantic rowing speed record, which currently stands at 33 days, seven hours and 30 minutes.

The team will row an 11.1 metre-long boat, from Morocco to Barbados in January.