Focus on sprints in Gozo training camp

On the first weekend of 2013, some of Malta’s leading track and field athletes made their way to Gozo for their annual pre-season training camp.

The team, led by coach Mario Bonello, who has been shortlisted for the Official of the Year award in the 2012, SportMalta Awards, focused on some technical aspects of the sprint event which the athletes have been working on over the past months.

A number of Gozitan athletes, who have been making excellent progress under the guidance of Bonello and coach Paul Camilleri, also took part.

Among those at the forefront of this group is Francesco Caruana, the first Gozitan selected to represent Malta in an international youth competition.

Other promising Gozitan athletes are also participating with success in events at national level.

Diane Borg, who also figured in the training camp, is a true inspiration for all, Bonello said.

Again, she is a finalist for the Sportswoman of the Year award which she won last year.

“Despite the difficulties of last year, Borg’s results exceeded those of 2011,” Bonello said.

“The national 200m record of 24.14sec she set in 2012 is arguably the best ever performance in any event on the track.

“Borg has also delivered in the 100m when it mattered, qualifying from the preliminary round at the Olympics and then clocking her second best ever time of 11.92sec over the same distance in the first round, just 0.03sec shy of her own national record.”

The website the training group launched prior to the Olympics is yet another feather in the cap for the Gozitan athletes.

At sprintmalta.com, one can follow updated news on local and international athletics.

The training camp was made possible with the assistance of the Ministry for Gozo which have been supporting the opportunities ATHELTIX Athletics Club is giving to Gozitan youths.

Despite the lack of a running track in Gozo, the athletes meet regularly throughout the week to train at the horse raining track at Ta’ Xħajma and the football ground of GFA Division One club Nadur Youngsters.