Race is on for MQSs

Some of the athletes taking part in the first race of the Challenge series some days ago obviously had their eyes on the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) for the GSSE set by the Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC).

Comfortably close to the MQS, Rebecca Camilleri, with the indoor international competition over, focused on her jumping, clearing 6.05m in her favourite discipline.

Andy Grech cleared 6.77m and, given that he and Camilleri had to contend with adverse wind conditions, the results were quite satisfactory.

Another athlete who did make the grade – convincingly– was Giselle Camilleri.

Training in France where she is presently residing, Camilleri clocked 17:33.90 in the 5,000m, an event in which Mario Grech continued to show improvement in his quest to be selected on his own merits.

Others who Athletics Malta hope will make up the team, namely, Neil Brimmer and Matthew Croker in the longer sprints, as well as field athletes Lawrence Ransley (shot) and Antonella Chouhal and Mario Mifsud (both discus), continued with their local dominance.

However, achieving the MQS in these events will mean that these valiant athletes will have to better national records, a no mean feat but not impossible as all three have been entering into the books over recent weeks and months.

No less enthusiastic was the determination of the younger athletes taking part in this meeting earlier this month.

With the Island Games (COGI) the first target of the season and, for some, a mere stepping stone to the GSSE, Nicole Gatt posted good times in the 200 and 400m, as did Luke Camilleri in the 1,500m, Nadine Gatt in the 100m and Janet Richard in the 400m.

Clearly names of the near future. However, taking the cake was Laura Sammut, whose star continues to shine brighter by the day.

Heading immediately out in front in the 1,500m and maintaining a steady pace throughout, Sammut broke the five-minute barrier to turn around quite a few heads, especially those who had not previously seen her in action.