Another national record from Alfred Debono

Alfred Debono’s isn’t a name that you'll frequently come across in the sports pages. Which doesn’t mean that his achievements lack merit. Indeed, if anything it is the opposite.

Alfred Debono, Alfred Briffa, Pawlu Camilleri and Doreen Vella.

As a veteran athlete – or masters as is the trend to call them these days – that he manages to approach his sport with such energy and dedication is an honour to him as well as an example to the rest of us. Particularly as he seems to keep on improving. Last November, at the Firenze marathon, the Zurrieq Wolves athlete broke the national record for the over-60 category over the marathon distance as well as coming home in first place among athletes of his category.

An excellent result but clearly not one that has dimmed in him the desire to keep on improving. Because last Sunday, thanks also to almost perfect weather and and a fantastic route, Debono once again repeated his success this time in Verona and over the half-marathon distance when he set a new national record – 1:25:26 – as well as winning his age category.

Taking part in this event alongside Debono there were three other athletes from the Zurrieq club namely Pawlu Camilleri (1:24:48), Doreen Vella (1:24:47) and Alfred Briffa (3:48:38).

Zurrieq Wolves AC makes them two out of two

The Zurrieq Wolves team that won the M'Scala road relay race held on January 24th, 2008. Melvin Mifsud, Adrian Mifsud, Joe Abdilla and Neal Brimmer

After winning the men’s team event in the Qawra 10Km race held on January 11th, The Zurrieq Wolves Club achieved another prestigious result by winning the men’s category in the MAAA Road Relay that was held on January 24th ,thus winning the men’s team events in the first two races of the year. Thanks to these results Zurrieq Wolves stared the year as the top road running team when it comes to the men’s category.

In the Road Relay, Joe Saliba and Simon Lia, two of the best Zurrieq Wolves runners where unavailable on the day but the team composed by Adrian Mifsud, Melvin Mifsud, Neil Brimmer and Joseph Abdilla managed to beat stiff opposition from the Mellieha AC, St Patricks and Athleta Pembroke teams. These are mentioned in the order of final positioning. The Zurrieq Wolves victory was achieved in the last leg of the race after the St. Patricks and Athleta Pemboke teams where leading the race in the first stages.

Now the attention is turned to the 10km race which will be held in Attard on the 15th February, a good preparation ahead of the Malta Marathon & Half Marathon which is being held on 1st March.

Back to winning ways

Thankfully Zurrieq Wolves had done enough to get back to winning ways and start the new year with the right result. Team A composed by Adrian Mifsud, Joseph Abdilla, Melvin Mifsud and Simon Lia have won the race in Qawra by a margin of nearly 3 minutes over Mellieha A.

The rain and stormy weather which had been predicted for the preceding week managed to hold off for the Qawra 10k road race. Instead, moderate winds from North West buffeted runners on Sunday for the latest edition of one of the MAAA’s most popular 10km races.

A total of 109 runners set out from Qawra for the race, which formed part of the MAAA Road Race League. It was a clear-cut one-horse race with defending champion Jonathan Balzan (St Patrick’s), leading from the beginning infront of Brian Magri of Pembroke Athleta. By the 3km mark on the coast road, the two runners were well out in front, a good minute ahead of nearest challenger, Mario Pisani (Pembroke Athleta). Adrian Mifsud, Joseph Abdilla, Melvin Mifsud and Simon Lia and a pack of other 5 runners who seemed to be sticking close together to protect against the winds followed the leading runners.

Balzan, with some elements of his team missing while currently leading the overall classification, has secured his successive Qawra 10k race by crossing the finish line first in a time of 33mins 14sec.

There was an interesting “home” battle in seventh and ninth place with Adrian Mifsud, finishing four seconds ahead of Joseph Abdilla and eight seconds from Melvin Mifsud, crossing the finish line in 35 mins 18 sec. Simon Lia followed in 10th place clocking 35 mins 47sec. It was a good effort that helped our four athletes deservedly winning the team honours infront of Mellieha and Pembroke Athleta. Zurrieq Wolves were represented by 19 athletes, 5 of them women.

Wolves top female runner Doreen Vella placed third in the Women Category with 40.35, followed by Karen Xerri (46.48), Mary Grace Demicoli (47.06) and Rachel Galea (47.22).

The club’s women came second in the team honours behind Pembroke Athleta. In the veteran’s category, Alfred Debono continued to lead the Over 60 with a fine performance, finishing in 40min37sec.

Zurrieq Wolves:
7. Adrian Mifsud (35.18), 8. Joseph Abdilla (35.22); 9. Melvin Mifsud (35.26); 11. Simon Lia (35.47); 19. Mario Grech (38.12); 22. Neil Brimmer (38.22); 23. Anthony Barbara (38.26); 30. Alfred Debono (40.37); 31. Pawlu Camilleri (40.39); 35. Jesmond Bartolo (41.12); 51. Clifton Caruana (43.09); 58. Arthur Agius (45.02); 59. Charles Abela (45.05); 65. Alfred Briffa (46.23); 73. Joseph Garzia (50.50).

cliftoncaruana@hotmail.com