Perseverance is one of the names in the game as far as athletics is concerned.

This is clearly manifested in the number of athletes past their youthful prime who doggedly keep up their training, their competition and their thirst for success. If proof is needed that perseverance pays, one does not have to look further than Antonella Chouhal.

Dedicated to her sport like few others, she has been in and out of the record books on many occasions, in consequence representing Malta at high levels with credit.

Her specialty lies on the field, the other arm of the sport reserved mostly for throwers.

Going through all the disciplines in this area, her latest challenge and cause for satisfaction is the hammer throw, at which last week she wrote another chapter by hurling the implement 42 metres 79 centimetres out, clearly implying that her name can be included in the GSSE selection.

Elsewhere around the track, for the third successive weekend, Daniel Saliba also raised the selection flag when he hurdled the 400m in another record time of 55.53 seconds.

If both of these events are lauded by the association in the build-up to the summer international commitments, no less were the performances at the flat 400m.

Matthew Croker, with his time of 50.63 minutes, made the qualifying standard for the GSSE, as did Janet Richard, who had no peers with her time of 57.39 seconds.

Meanwhile, Rachela Pace was busy equalling the best ever, all-time height recorded in the high jump for girls under the age of 16, clearing the bar at 1.60 metres.

Now, Pace is just one centimetre away from the national record for women.