Only 10 months ago, Lawrence Ransley managed to shatter a national record that had been 21 years in the making.

Two centimetres shy of 14 metres, it was predicted that this threshold would probably not last that long with the form the Pembroke athlete was in.

Perhaps the wait lasted longer than expected, but it was more pronounced and welcomed when, on Saturday, Ransley bettered the distance on three occasions, with his first attempt going out a distance of 14.65 metres, or 67cm farther out.

Marvellous stuff, especially for his coach Genc Dapi, who seems bent on a mission to bring the throwing events up to scratch and worthy of a respectable place, if not at the highest European plane, at least worth a podium at the Games of the Small States of Europe.

If further proof of Dapi’s impact were needed, 17-year-olds Bradley Mifsud and Luke Farrugia produced what could be national records for their age, when ratified, with shot putt throws of 12.92 metres by the former and a heave of 41.32 metres in the discus by the latter.

All this coming in the wake of the records set last year, when the victors also included Mario Mifsud, Daniel Vella and recently Edward Bezzina.

It is no wonder that the throwers are all a-buzz and whistling happy tunes, taking the limelight off the track, as it were.

Indeed, no better times were recorded in the 60m sprints that would have merited selection to the European Indoors this March.

Therefore it is Rebecca Camilleri who will be wearing our national colours in Gothenburg.

In the meantime, Andy Grech and Nicole Gatt ruled the day with times of 7.08 and 8.14 seconds, with the other notable performance being that of Neil Brimmer in the 300m when he stopped the clock on 36.67 seconds.