Victorious in half of the 31 events at stake, Pembroke Athleta emerged as clear leaders in all three classifications at the end of the first meeting of this season’s Track and Field leagues, organised by Athletics Malta at Marsa.

The meet was clearly a team effort for the majority of the clubs affiliated with the association, while some others, primarily at the request of their athletes, took the opportunity to provide competition and add experience to their club pool.

So, it was not surprising that fairly new talent got into the mix, topping their events. Youngsters such as Robyn Zammit and Luke Bezzina won the 100m sprint open event, the latter finishing in a dead-heat with the resurgent Jeandre Mallia to share the points for his club Allcomers.

Nicole Gatt (Starmax) took the honours in the 400m and Daniel Saliba, for Pembroke, in the high jump were such other athletes.

In the 200m, it was Rachel Fitz, another Allcomers junior athlete, who breasted the tape first, complementing Steve Camilleri who won the event for Pembroke.

Not to be denied their moment of glory, Mario Mifsud bagged the Shot and Discus, as did Antonella Chouhal for Libertas in the corresponding events for women.

Rachid Chouhal, for the same outfit, returned to take the long jump while Kevin Galea (Pembroke) won the javelin throw.

Twenty-four points adrift of Pembroke at the end of the day, Savio were making a welcome return to this team event, their collective effort spearheaded by the experienced Matthew Croker, victorious in the 400m, his speciality.

Meanwhile, in the league for boys, it was really the final event, the relay, that swayed the result in Pembroke Athleta’s favour, as none of the other six clubs managed to line up, awarding the winners the full points without reply.

Nonetheless, Luke Scicluna made sure that Żurrieq Wolves remain in the running, winning both the long jump and the 100m sprint, for his club to finish 19 points behind Pembroke with Starmax a further three points adrift.

In the women’s league, Starmax lie second with St Patrick’s in third place.