Russian runner Vladimir Sementsov and Maltese athlete Carmen Hili lived up to their favourites’ tag after winning the 2013 Malta International Challenge in emphatic fashion yesterday.

Leading the men’s field after victories in the opening two stages, in Rabat and Birżebbuġa, Sementsov made it a clean sweep yesterday with another first-place finish in the final leg, a 25km run from St Paul’s Bay to Valletta.

Sementsov, runner-up last year, won in 1hr 25mins 11secs for an overall time of 2:20:48.

Veteran Maltese athlete Charles Cilia secured the runner-up spot, finishing second again yesterday in 1:32:56 for an aggregate time of 2:32:56, more than 12 minutes behind the winner.

The top-three order was unchanged as Vincenzo Scuro hung on to third place after clocking 1:34:50. The Italian runner’s overall time was 2:35:57.

In the women’s race, Hili’s triumph was never in doubt as the St Patrick’s runner dominated the three stages to retain the title.

Hili underlined her superiority yesterday after completing the final race in 1:44:24, almost nine minutes ahead of Mellieħa AC runner Marthese Mercieca. Hili’s overall time was 2:52:49 with Mercieca second in 3:07:06.

Jacqueline Booker, also of St Patrick’s, was the third woman to reach the gantry in Freedom Square yesterday, clocking 2:00:08. Her accumulated time was 3:17:18.

The Malta International Challenge Marathon was sponsored by Nestlè Fitness.

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