Last week, children from most church and private schools, as well as from some state schools, responded to the call of Athletics Malta to take part in the annual cross country event at the Marsa grounds.

Aimed at introducing en-durance running on grass among schools, 408 children from 22 schools competed in three categories – Primary, Secondary Junior and Secondary Senior.

Besides the individual events, where the first three finishers in each category, boys and girls, were awarded relative medals, each school could field up to eight competitors for the team event, the first four scoring points according to their placings.

De La Salle, with the best results obtained in all three boys’ events, dominated the races as did the National School of Sport in the events for secondary schools girls.

Repeating the feat attained last year, Mellieħa Primary girls were the other worthy winners, their scoring foursome finishing among the first seven runners, with the individual event being won by Beatrice Caloro, of San Andrea School.

Besides their team showings, both the National School of Sport and De La Salle had individual winners as well.

In fact, Alessia Cristina was junior champion while Marija Farrugia triumphed for the seniors.

De La Salle had Jordon Kelly winning convincingly his event in the juniors, while Alexander Spiteri of St Edward’s, won in the Primary Schools category.

Kyle Buhagiar, of St Aloysius, maintained the college tradition in the senior event.