With the sights of the athletics community firmly set on the imminent challenge provided by the GSSE, the National Championships, held over three days last week, engaged Malta’s leading lights in the last stiff competition on their way to reach peak form in two weeks’ time.
With some athletes still dogged by injuries and a few youngsters having to deal with the added pressure of educational commitments, the stage is now set for a plucky few to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the success achieved in these last years.
Fewer they may be but this edition’s selection is anything but lacking in promise.
A mainstay of the team is undoubtedly Maltese-Australian Kevin Moore who was here last weekend and ran the one-lap sprint in an excellent time of 48.26 seconds to set a new championship record.
As in the last edition, Moore will be expected to add shine to our medal tally both in the individual and the team events.
Backing him up will be a number of young athletes one of whom, Steve Camilleri, 21, seems to be finally hitting his prime after some disappointing seasons.
In a year during which he has seen his personal bests tumble consistently, Camilleri is currently the fastest man on the islands. On Saturday Camilleri clocked 10.85 seconds in the 100m and won the 200m besides a second placing behind Moore in the 400m.
Another amazing talent, Rebecca Camilleri made short shrift of the 100m, finishing a clear winner in a time of 12.04 seconds before leaping 6.31m in the long jump.
A following wind denied her a national record but the results were a boost to her morale just the same.
In the meantime, in the first session of the meet, the men’s relay squad made sure of their place in the GSSE team after stopping the clock well inside the standard set.
Mark Herrera sailed over the barriers to set another national record in the 3,000m steeplechase in 9:54.85 minutes.
On the last day another event record fell, this time to Catriona Cuschieri who putted the shot 10.86m out in the girls’ youths.
A final achievement was that in the discus, where 16-year-old Luke Farrugia spun out the implement a distance of 47.07 metres, the furthest distance ever covered by a boy his age on our shores.