Keith Bartolo, the Birkirkara St Joseph open water long-distance swimmer, recently returned from the United Kingdom with yet another success under his belt.

As part of an intensive three-week training camp, Bartolo competed in the Irish Long Distance Swimming 15-kilometre Championships and in the Champion of Champions Race, organised by the British Long Distance Swimming Association.

These two events tested Bartolo’s ability in rough seas.

The adverse weather con-ditions meant that both races had to be re-routed by the organisers.

However, the final results rewarded the training regime followed by the Birkirkara St Joseph swimmer during the winter months.

Bartolo finished fifth in the Irish Championships, securing a qualifying time for the prestigious Round Manhattan Swim 2013 in the United States.

In the highly competitive Champion of Champions Swim, Bartolo completed the 15 kilometres in 10th place.

Bartolo is now hoping that the weather in the United Kingdom will be better for his forthcoming participation in the 26-kilometre swim from Jersey to France.

The Maltese swimmer is also due to take part in the 64-kilometre Round Jersey Swim a week later.

These two solo swims are ranked as the 11th and 12th most prestigious in the world.