Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/916779
54 maltatoday SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER 2017 Sports ATHLETICS Record participation at Eurosport BSJ Fleur-de-lys Road Running Races PERFECT weather greeted the re- cord number of athletes registered for Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club flagship race the Eurosport Fleur- de-Lys 5k and 10k Road Races. A combination of 350 athletes, were on the start line of the increas- ingly popular 5k and 10k Races which closed off the 2017 season for the Birkirkara Club. 10k Race Nearly two hundred athletes were on the start line for this race, which saw them run two loops of the course. Hot favourites were Charl- ton Debono and Andrew Grech as well as fairly recent addition to the road running races fold Shifa Mo- hammed Nuradin. As the race got underway, it was evident that these were the ones to beat, with Debono and Nuradin working towards the top placing, racing abreast for quite a good distance on the route. What has become a characteristic of Debono, a final sprint to the fin- ish saw him ward off Nuradin's at- tempt to claim first place and to win the race in a time of 32 minutes 27 seconds. Nuradin crossed the fin- ish line eleven seconds later. An- drew Grech, who improved on his time from last year by five seconds, claimed the third place on the po- dium with a time of 33 minutes 3 seconds. In the females' category, Josann At- tard Pulis delivered a strong run and kept a comfortable lead through- out the course to win in a time of 39 minutes 35 seconds. Catherine Chetcuti, clocked in second place in 42 minutes 24 seconds and was fol- lowed by Karen Amato in a time of 43 minutes 38 seconds. 5k Race A well-attended race, top podium placings for the Males categories were taken up by Bernard Kibet Too (16 minutes 17 seconds). Following two seconds later was Joseph Azzo- pardi and in third place Matthew Cutajar (16 minutes 36 seconds). The females' podium was made up of veteran athlete Monalisa Camill- eri (18 minutes 28 seconds), followed by Paula Grech (18 minutes 58 sec- onds) and completed by Celine Pace (19 minutes 50 seconds). A Prize Giving ceremony took place immediately after the race and was presided over by Joseph Cassar, Secretary General of the Maltese Olympic Committee and Christina Peresso, Director, Eurosport Malta. Following the presentation, the Club presented a cheque to Esther Sant, Chairperson of the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation which was the Club's chosen charity for 2017. "It is very satisfying for the Club to close off a successful season with such a record participation. Our races have shown a steady increase in participation which shows that the efforts put into the athletes' race experience are reaping results" remarked Eu- char Camilleri, Secretary General, Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club. "Apart from a full racing calendar, the Club has also provided techni- cal assistance in a number of other racing events on the island such as University Road Races, Ocean Lava Malta 113k Triathlon and the Mal- ta Employees Sports Association. We have already started planning for 2018 and promise to continue working hard towards continu- ously improving our races". More information on the Club's events can be found on www.bkarastjoseph.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERTO RUNZA