Sprinters, hurdlers in Gozo training camp

The athletics season will take off in the first week of February and most of the local athletes are very keen to return to competition after four months of training.

Thanks to the close collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo and the support of the local agents for Puma, a group of sprinters and hurdlers, coached by Mario Bonello, held a training camp in Gozo, last weekend.

Although Gozo still lacks an athletics track, the football ground at Sannat and the one at Nadur are considered as good alternative training venues.

Bonello noted that, in addition to the positive effects of the training sessions, it was also important that the group took some time out of their daily routine of studies and work to spend some time together.

“Last year, I took the national sprints team twice to Gozo and it was a great experience for all,” Bonello said.

“I think that the excellent spirit we created last year was shown at the Sannat football ground.”

One of last year’s athletics stars, Diane Borg, was also in Gozo last weekend.

Borg won two gold medals and a silver at the 2011 Liechtenstein GSSE, breaking three national records in the process.

Gozitan athletes from the Athletix Gozo AC (athletixgozo@gmail.com), under the guidance of Bonello and Paul Camilleri, joined their Maltese counterparts during some of the training sessions.

Camilleri remarked that this was a great experience for his club members.

“Our members do not have such role models to follow,” he said.

“But having some 15 prominent athletes from Malta training with us was a useful experience and one we really enjoyed.”

The training camp wrapped up with the annual Athletix Gozo AC presentations where upcoming athletes on the sister island were given awards and mementoes for their efforts.