Jonathan Balzan and Josann Attard Pulis won the opening leg of this year’s Nestle Malta Challenge Marathon after breasting the tape first well ahead of their nearest pursuers in Rabat, yesterday.

Balzan won the 11.195km stage from Rabat to Dingli and back in 38 minutes and 55 seconds with veteran Brian Magri coming home second in 39 minutes and 39 seconds.

The third-placed runner in the men’s full Challenge was Gozo’s Stefan Azzopardi who was more than two minutes behind Magri in 41 minutes, 59 seconds.

Attard Pulis will be starting today’s shortest leg in the marathon – a six-kilometre run in St George’s Bay Birżebbuġa – with a 129-second advantage over Caroline Ciappara.

Attard Pulis covered the distance yesterday in 48 minutes, 34 seconds with Ciappara coming home in 50 minutes, 43 seconds.

Karen Amato was third in the women’s full marathon in 53 minutes, one second.

In the relay race, the first runners in both categories were Clive Gerada (38:47) and Johanna Galea (49:41).

The Challenge Marathon comes to a close tomorrow with the longer leg starting from St Paul’s Bay, a gruelling 25km run that finishes in Freedom Square, Valletta.

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