Numbers increase for swim-run race

The second Garmin Kids Swim Run, open for young athletes aged six to 16, was held recently in Ta’ Qali with the Malta FA swimming pool as base.

The event was organised by renowned triathletes Dermot Galea and Fabio Spiteri.

The aim of the event is to generate interest in triathlon. This time the participation figures were better with 47 children taking part. Participants were grouped into five main age-brackets, each racing over different distances.

The new 6-7 years group swam 50m and ran 300m. The boys’ race was won by Thomas Wood followed closely by Justin Camilleri and Nathan Cachia. Emily Grech Carr won the race for girls with Charlotte Spencer and Sophie Zammit completing the podium.

The race for the 8-9 years was won by Jake Bonavia. He covered the 100m swim and 600m run in 3mins 29sec. Luke Grech Carr and Sean Camilleri followed in that order.

The girls’ race was won by Callie Hock in 5mins 37sec. Beatrice Ambery was second and Maja Glumar third.

The race for the 10-11 years (150m swim, 800m run) was a tight one with Sliema’s Kyle Buhagiar claiming the honours for a second time to beat the challenge of Dylan Cachia and Matthew Tabone.

Maya Azzopardi, of Neptunes, won the girls race in 6mins 27sec. She was followed by Andrea Friggieri and Rebecca Xerri.

The race for 12-13 years included a swim of 200m and 1000m run.

Sean Mohom won the boys’ race in 8mins 25sec. He was 21sec faster than Christian Von Brockdorff.

Matthew Vella was first in the race for 14-year-olds (10mins 30sec) with the girls’ honours going to Martha Cachia (15mins 30sec).

The last event of the day was the Open which consisted of a 400m swim followed by a three-kilometre run.

Birkirkara St Joseph’s Steve Chetcuti crossed the line first in 15.37. He breasted the tape ahead of David Agius Lia and George Vella.

Hannah Pace did the girls’ race in 16mins 50sec. Stephanie Alden and Nina Zammit followed in that order.

The event was sponsored by Garmin-Malta, MFA Swimming Pool, Spinach Fitness Centre and Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club.