Despite being quite young George Vella has a long and varied history in sport. Here he writes on how he started athletics and what has led him to take up triathlon as his favourite sport. Eleven years ago, at the age of 17 years, I used to frequent the Sliema pool and Exiles bay in the summer months. It was around this time that I discovered sports and I was asked to start playing waterpolo with Exiles’ under 18 team. As we know local waterpolo and swimming is of quite a high standard, so I got used to hard training in the sea, tactics in complicated possession and also persistence for good teamwork with other players. I used to play in different positions and played well against other clubs., Against the big clubs our team used to sit back in defence. It was fine until I got problems during matches. I always ended up being sent off because I continued playing after ignoring referee`s whistle: something that I did because I am deaf. So I decided to call it a day in this sport. In September 1997 I started jogging along the Sliema coastline watching the waterpolo pitches with "nostalgia". During my jogging, my running pace got better and it led me to start running competitively in road running events. I then joined a club where I

used to train more leisurely through winter and did some track sessions twice weekly. Initially, I was doing mostly the 5km and 10km road races but eventually started to specialize in one event, the 800m. It was not easy to specialize on speed works on tracks with spikes shoes, and had to wait patiently until the time came when my performance started to improve. The breakthrough season, for me, was that of 2000/2001 when I was coached with Mr Donato Sabia, an Italian middle distance coach who had the 5

th place in the 1984

Olympics Games in the 800m event. I was teamed with some good sprinters and middle-distance athletes and we used to train 3 or 4 times weekly with my sessions consisting of sprints, speed endurances, long intervals, weights

and drills. Training was hard but the effort paid rich dividends. Donato pushed me to a higher level of sub 2 minute barrier in 800m. I took part in the Deaflympics held in Rome in July 2001 where I placed 12

th overall

from 40 athletes in 800m event. Here I ran for the first time in 1m59.90s. From this time onwards, the following races were all within same level, improving only by a few seconds since the every second in this event is very hard to beat. Unfortunately Donato had to go back home in Italy and it was a big blow not only for me, but also for other Maltese athletes. ► Continued On Page 4

The Shamrock

The official publication of Saint Patrick’s Athletic Club Issue No. 39 September 2008

Sport Has Made Me Better

People On the Move I’m sure that most of you have heard about Oscar Pistorious, the athlete with prosthetic legs that has been trying to qualify for the Olympics. When Pistorious was seventeen months old and his parents were given the option of either letting their son grow with legs that had no bones below the knee or if to amputate them so that he could grow up using prosthetic legs. It was a difficult decision and his parents didn’t know what would happen of him as he grew up. It was at that point that his mother Sheila wrote a letter for her son to read in later years and which said: “a loser is not one who is last in the race, it is one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.” It is a truly inspirational message and one which everyone should take to heart. It is also a message that seems to be taking root locally, through a series of initiatives aimed at getting children into sport. One of these was the Girls on the Move project which included St. Patrick’s AC coach Rose Tabone.

“When Valerie gave me a call to see if I was willing to coach on the ‘Girls on the Move’ project it was unexpected but I was happy to do so,” she says of this project. “I said yes as it was an opportunity for me to train them based on what I have learnt during the IAAF Level One course. As every one knows, I am very dedicated and what I do I do it from the bottom of my heart. The girls seem to enjoy every minute. My group is made up girls of 12 to 13 years of age who seem happy to do hurdles, long jump, a bit of running, shot put and also the high jump. I’m very satisfied about their attendance because they don’t miss too often and when I ask them whether they are enjoying themselves they say that they look forward to coming and they don’t even notice that half an hour has passed.” “I am enjoying every minute of it and hope to see some of them joining in athletics. It doesn’t matter which club they join as long we see the girls on the move” Rose is truly awe inspiring because she puts in so much into athletics whilst expecting very little. For her there is nothing better than seeing one of her protégées enjoying the sport and taking up athletics. If there were more people like her, there’s no doubt that the sport would be on much healthier footing. One of her athletes is Charlene Formosa, who has personal bests of 1:52.4 in the 600m, 14:80 in the 100m, 49.9 in the 300m and 15.11 in the 70m hurdles. Last year she did a personal best of 4.19.84 in the 1200m in the National Championships and now that she is a year older, Rose says that she is expecting her to do even better.

FISEC Medal for Spiteri One athlete who has been doing better is Simon Spiteri who took part in this year’s edition of the FISEC Games and went a way with a bronze medal in the 3000m. Simon is another who can teach most of us, such is his dedication for the sport. I was impressed last year when he attended the IAAF Level 1 coaching course purely to learn more and hope that he can keep up with his passion for athletics. Be it in running, coaching or administration, I’m sure that he has a great future.

THE SHAMROCK The official publication of St. Patrick’s Athletic Club Issue No. 39 – September 2008 Editor: Paul Grech Sub-Editor: Jonathan Balzan Address: St. Helen, Vjal ix-Xarolla, Zurrieq Telephone: 21 640 871 Mobile: 7901 4601 E-Mail: p_grech@di-ve.com Website: www.stpatricksac.info

Antoine Attard President

Stephen Spiteri

Vice President, MAAA Representative & Shamrock Co-ordinator

Joe Zerafa Treasurer

Rose Tabone Officer Juniors

Lee Micallef

Public Relations

Peter Barbara Asst. Sec & Social Events co-ordinator

Cyprian Dalli Secretary

Paul Grima

Clubhouse Director

Roger Zammit Technical Director

Any contributions for the next issue of the

Shamrock may be sent to the editor.

Paul Grech’s

Editorial

www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

T h e S h am r o c k S e p t em be r ‘ 0 8 2

◄ Continued from Page 1

His departure meant that I encountered some problems with respect to coaching in 2002 and these where only solved the following year when I decided to take part in the GSSE as my main target. My 800m races in Malta were so good that I dropped to a PB of 1:57:10, but it was not enough to get selected for the GSSE although the standard was good. Since I lacked power, I decided not to blame anyone and accepted that my rivals were the ones to be taking part whilst at the same time feeling proud with my own performances. Then few days after the final qualification race, in mid-May 2003, I developed an injury in right knee which put me out of action for six months during which I could not attend the track sessions. It was difficult to accept and I found it hard to motivate myself following my previous good performances. I decided to keep swimming and doing weights to strengthen the muscles around my knee. My determination kept me fit both physically and mentally which is very difficult in those hard moments. In January 2004 I could finally get back on the track and soon I was back to my normal running rhythm so much so that I was running as well as I ever had. This led me to take part in the European Deaf Indoors Championship held in Sofia, Bulgaria where I qualified to semi-final although I was not accustomed to running on these short sloping tracks! Then the following year - 2005 – I suffered another injury, this time in the left calf and this was much harder to heal. I tried my best to remain convinced to complete a quick recovery but as time passed

by, I felt I needed to change something. So I cycled in gym, swam more in my free time and also did more weights. This routine resulted in stronger endurance that it helped speed up my recovery process. But it also changed me completely:

I ended up

switching from track to another sport, the

Triathlon. The

time had come for me to change so I tried a short triathlon for beginners and I completed it well. I decided to move on with this new sport and now I am taking it very seriously. My training currently consists of a combination of swims in the National pool in morning before work 3 times weekly with a coach, followed with some endurance cycles with my racer, and some runs. My progress in triathlon races seems to be going well since I am ranking in the best 5

th places

for now. Also, taking part in local cycling races, local sea swim

races and other races makes me more confident for such a strenuous sport. I took part in other races abroad like the European Cross Country with Deaf in Portugal 2006 followed by a 3

rd

place in Aqualthon in the UK. My triathlon history seems to be becoming more varied and interesting this year. I came 3

rd in

last Half Ironman held in Malta last May, and my personal best in other Triathlons seems improving gradually. So looking back at my history as a ‘normal’ athlete with St. Patrick’s AC, I have passed from different moments in different sporting disciplines. I would like to be an e example to the rest. Although nothing is impossible, you have to try, with your own determination and motivation, achieve in what you believe although you pass from hard moments and pressures. This can help you gain a winning mentality. Sports has helped me integrate better in society, escape from a hectic routine and has strengthened my character. George Vella- The Unique Georgierun

“You have to try, with your own

determination and motivation, to achieve in what you believe in.”

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The AGM was this year held on Wednesday 17 July 2008 at the Clubhouse, Gudja with the following Agenda

1. Reading and Approval of the last AGM Minutes;

2. Reading and approval of Financial Statements;

3. Policy address by the President; 4. Amendments to Statute and motions; 5. Other Matters.

After the resignation of the Secretary Ms Paula Vella, in mid term, Antoine Attard volunteered to draft the minutes.

1. Reading and Approval of the last AGM Minutes;

The Minutes of the last General Meeting held on Friday 27 July 2007 were read. Stephen Mifsud raised a point of order in that he was not sure if a quorum was reached. The President remarked that we had sufficient members for a quorum, but he also remarked that the attendance could have been better. He said that this happens in most AGMs of other organizations particularly so since this year there were no elections on the agenda as per statute. The approval of the Minutes was proposed by Paul Grima and seconded by Peter Barbara. The Minutes were approved.

2. Financial Statements

The Treasurer, Joe Zerafa, read and presented a copy of the Financial Statements which saw a slight increase in Assets over the previous year. There is however a decrease in annual payments of subscriptions. It was agreed that a subcommittee would design a campaign to increase membership. Edwin Spiteri and Charles Darmanin remarked that the fees for participation in the Road Races were a deterrent. Peter Barbara said that higher fees had to be justified. Rose Tabone said that we should go to schools to promote our races like other clubs did. Stephen Mifsud opined that we should start with Gudja 8K and lower race fees. We could than assess the impact. Lee Micallef said that our members should be offered a special price for participating in running events. He said that we should consider for example giving a free race to each member. Other clubs did it. The Financial Statements were proposed by Stephen Mifsud and seconded by Lee Micallef. They were approved.

3. Policy Address by the President Antoine Attard brought up various issues for discussion. He remarked that we should be proud of our achievements in the double win of the road running league 2007-2008. He thanked the successful ‘A’

teams, and all other teams that participated. He thanked all members for their loyalty, dedication and motivation during the past year. He mentioned his active participation in the MAAA Council. This had turned the image of the association into a positive one. He mentioned as an example the visit and lecture of Peter Thompson Head Coach IAAF, and his lecture in improving long distance running, and that of the IAAF Coaching Director Quinton Botes and Melanie Curds in September. Saint Patrick’s have now another two IAAF Level One certified Coaches in Rose Tabone and Katya Sapiano. Rose Tabone was subsequently appointed one of the Coaches of the KMS’ Project Girls on the move. Her enthusiasm and dedication has thus been recognized and she regularly coaches a good number of young girls on Fridays in connection with this project. This makes Saint Patrick’s really proud. He remarked that the unpaid members were considerable not withstanding the various reminders. He was not in favour that these should be struck off the membership list. He suggested that a sub-committee made up of Peter Barbara and Stephen Spiteri should be appointed to launch a membership campaign. Their assignment should also be shared with the future Secretary yet to be appointed. He remarked that the sponsorship agreement with enjoytherun had elapsed. He thanked Antonello Gauci for his generosity and support but suggested that we urgently need to look for a sponsor in the first meeting of the Committee. He said that he was not in favour of increasing the burden on members, and athletes but to make better use of the facilities for badly needed funds. He again suggested that the Pakkett ta’ Servizzi which was discussed by the past Committee should be seriously tackled. We should generate good income if we made better use of the clubhouse for let’s say physiotherapy and massage, aerobics and hip-hop classes, weight control advice etc. He hoped that the members will give concrete support to the initiative and promotion should start in earnest. He referred to the good relations with the Gudja Community, especially the Nursery of the Gudja United Football Club. He said that we have given some running skills through the good support of the coaches including Valerie Farrugia, to the Football Club and will look to consolidate the co-operation in the future. The nursery can be a springboard for our participation particularly next season in the Track and Field. Antoine Attard also referred to the importance of reaching our members and others. He reminded all

Report from the Annual General Meeting 2008

Th e S h am r o c k Se p t em be r ‘ 0 8 4 www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

that our mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle in the Maltese Society. The Shamrock is our mouth piece together with the website. It is important that the efforts invested in the Shamrock are sustained, but there is also the need for more support and organisation in this regard. He said that he was very satisfied with the exposure the Club had in the media this year and he singled in particular Paul Grech for his constant efforts to reach this level of promotion. He also thanked Emile Vassallo for building and updating the website. Antoine Attard concluded by saying that he was glad that the committee functioned well and was in gear. He thanked Paul Grima for refurbishing and keeping the Clubhouse. Lee Micallef for his donations and overall contributions. Stephen Spiteri for his drive for sponsors and fund raising, Peter Barbara for his leadership in organizing social activities which generated badly needed funds and the rest of Committee and non-committee

members such as Stephen Mifsud and Charles Darmanin, the longest serving member who were crucial in their contributions.

Regarding Road Races Charles Darmanin and Stephen Mifsud would liase to propose a reform in Race Participation Points system. Charles Darmanin was invited to keep writing the very interesting articles on the Shamrock and his erstwhile contribution to the Club. He will be involving the Fr James McGury in the write ups of the history of the club. Antoine Attard than proposed that members Cyprian Dalli, and Marvin

Mangion both of Gudja would sit on the Committee. The nominations were approved unanimously by the AGM. The meeting was adjourned at 9.15 pm

Antoine Attard

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Running in the hot and humid Maltese summer can be tough. IAAF Level 1 coach Mario Pisani explains how to make things more comfortable in this his first article for the Shamrock. Summer time in Malta can sometimes be an unpleasant experience due to very hot temperatures and high levels of humidity. I admire those runners who meet early in the morning for their training to run as a group and then finish off with a good swim after their run. Apart that it is a fantastic idea for socializing, it helps the body to cool better after exposing it to the sun during the run.

Preventing heat injuries Now lets get more serious regarding running in hot summer days by passing on some useful tips which many times are taken for granted and easily ignored. 1. Wake up earlier (this might be difficult for those lazy ones); remember that by 7.00am it is already hot outside. If you can’t make it in the morning then go for your training later in the evening ideally after 7.00pm. 2. Before you go out make sure that you apply a high factor sunscreen protection, plus never forget to rub some petroleum jelly in high risk friction areas. 3. Your running gear should be light in colour and of

high transpiration material. 4. Make sure to drink a good amount of water or energy drink. Avoid cold drinks before, during and after your training; these should be at room temperature for

better absorption.

Do’s and Don’ts Avoid coffee and alcohol which can boost dehydration by inducing more urine. Drinking too much water can also lead to hyponatraemia (water intoxication) and this occurs when the body’s water and sodium (salt) level get out of balance. The symptoms here are similar to those of dehydration: confusion, disorientation,

muscle weakness (cramps) and vomiting. Therefore one has to be careful about the amounts taken; however fluids are important before, during and after runs. One should also replenish lost minerals by regularly eating fruits and vegetables: bananas, watermelon, carrots and tomatoes are a great way to replace fluids and minerals. Run shorter distances and avoid intensive training during hot hours of the day. Enjoy your running and take care! For additional coaching advice, Mario Pisani may be contacted on 79255076 or marpisani@onvol.net.

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Beat the Heat: Running in Summer

T h e S h am r o c k S e p t em be r ‘ 0 8 8 w ww . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

St. Patrick’s AC in the Community:

Move for Health In order to help reach the aims of its’ mission statement – that of taking athletics to a wider audience – St. Patrick’s AC played a key role in the organisation of the Move for Health event. Charles Micallef, Fitness Promoter, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Department, writes about this event.

Each year at least 1.9 million people die globally as a result of physical inactivity and in the European Region, this accounts for about 600,000 deaths. At least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity, 5 days per week, reduces the risk of several common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancers such as cancer of the colon. The World Health Organization (WHO)‘s Move for Health Day provides a focal point to generate public awareness of the benefits of Physical Activity in the prevention of NCDs. The theme chosen by the WHO for this year's Move for Health Day was “Physical Activity For All” as it was felt that there is a clear need to address the issue of social inequalities in the access to

Physical Activity. With this in mind, the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in collaboration with the St Patrick's Athletic Club, the Kunsill Malti għall-iSport (KMS) and the Scout Association of Malta held a 3 km Fun Run activity at Ta' Qali grounds on Saturday, May 24, 2008. Over 250 people from all walks of life (children, young people, elderly, disabled and tourists) took part in this non-competitive event. Everyone was a winner and was eventually rewarded with a nice medal. Here I cannot forget Mr Antoine Attard (President of the St Patrick’s Club) and his colleague Ms Valerie

Farrugia, who worked really hard and contributed so much to make this event a truly successful one. The help received from Mr Andrew Decelis (Director, KMS) also deserves praise. On behalf of my director, Dr Charmaine Gauci, I would also like to thank as well the other departments and organizations who helped us during this successful event which was started by Hon. Dr Joseph Cassar, Parliamentary Secretary

in the Ministry of Social Policy. These were: the Traffic Police Section; St Augustine's College Air Scout Group; Lyceum Scout Group; Dingli Scout Group; PARK's Department; St John

Ambulance; JUGS & DJS pa sound systems; San Michel water; and Tip Top. I will not say more but the pictures say it all!

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The Shamrock September ’08 8 www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

Easy for Ksheim in Garmin Birzebbugia 10k Injury and unhappy timing meant that the majority of Malta’s leading road running specialists stayed away from this year’s Garmin Birzebbugia 10K, but that does not detract from what was a very impressive win by Haithem Ksheim. St. Patrick’s AC’s Libyan runner has over recent months emerged as a force to be reckoned with over the longer distances and has underlined his potential with a series of wins in various road races. His reputation was further enhanced in Birzebbugia where he dominated from start to finish, ending up with a winning margin of one and a half minutes with a finish of 33:35. Indeed it could be argued that the lack of any significant challenge worked against Ksheim who failed to improve on his previous year’s finish of 33:00. Not that Drew Lang, who eventually finished second, ever gave up. The veteran athlete, also of St. Patrick’s AC, remains a determined competitor despite his age and was well pleased to finish second in a race where he has done very well in the past. He just managed to edge out Mellieha’s Richard Chetcuti who finished the race in 35:19 with Lang in on 35:05. Yet perhaps the most impressive result of the day was Konstantin Roshnov’s fourth place finish with a time of 35:27. Running in the colours of St. Patrick’s AC the sixteen year-old was a revelation although his performance should not be much of a surprise given

that his father Ivan is one of the most respected and knowledgeable local coaches. Roshnov senior happens to be the coach of Giselle Camilleri who continued with her recent return back to full fitness with another win. Camilleri, another St. Patrick’s AC athlete, won in 40:03 which will be another significant boost after her recent results on the track that saw her regain her place in the Maltese squad. Carmen Hili, also of St. Patrick’s AC and last year’s winner, finished second in a time of 42:03 which was almost a minute slower than the time she set last year while Starmax AC’s Josann Attard was third (42:36).

Name Surname Time

Haithem Ksheim 33.35

Drew Lang 35.05

Richard Chetcuti 35.19

Konstantin Rozhnov 35.27

Andrew Grech 35.42

Fabio Spiteri 35.47

Jason Martin 36.14

Johann Galea 36.44

Simon Lia 36.58

Keith Galea 37.35

Philippe Lepied 37.43

Kevin Muscat 37.47

Johann Attard 38.01

David Sammut 38.01

Rodney Cassar 38.49

Antoine Abela 39.05

Jefferson Camilleri 39.09

Simon Camilleri 39.21

Giselle Camilleri 40.03

Luke Bonnici 40.07

Noel Spiteri 40.28

Kenneth Curmi 41.02

Joseph Farrugia 41.06

Manuel Spiteri 41.19

Joseph Barbieri 41.19

Stephen Mifsud 41.55

Carmen Hili 42.03

Josie Vella 42.07

Frankie Galea 42.08

Martin Agius 42.09

Sinclair Grima 42.18

Kevin Borg 42.19

Josann Attard 42.36

Carmelo Gatt 42.59

Marisa Muscat 43.04

Alexander Pulo 43.15

Carmel Farrugia 43.31

Abraham Zammit 44.03

Alexander Mifsud 44.19

Alfred Curmi 44.28

Gino Chetcuti 44.36

Tony Vella 44.38

Pierre Pirotta 44.47

Lee Micallef 44.51

Denise Borda 44.56

Antoine Zammit 45.16

Joseph Debono 45.32

Jeffrey Callus 45.35

Paula Vella 46.37

Raymond Scicluna 46.42

Stephen Spiteri 46.47

Charles Abela 47.31

David Demarco 47.55

Emile Vassallo 48.12

Johanna Calleja 48.28

Peter Barbara 48.46

Francis Sant 49.00

Blair Delceppo 49.10

Marylynn Bezzina 49.29

Albert Cilia 49.30

Andrew Xuereb 50.04

Wolley Ghiller 50.58

Vitale Manto 51.45

Angelique Attard 51.45

Ruben Magro 52.21

Maurizio Abela 53.07

Emmanuel Debattista 53.24

Alfred Demarco 54.26

Paul Grima 54.45

Ivania Carabott 55.10

Victor Spiteri 56.09

Neville Gatt 56.13

David Jones 56.17

Victor Sammut 56.41

Sylvana Ungaro 56.44

Ruben Debono 56.53

Kler Azzopardi 58.19

Nicholas Naudi 59.16

Raffaele Sigona 1.00.08

Edwin Spiteri 1.00.32

Manuel Bezzina 1.01.05

Alan Delceppo 1.01.40

Donald Cauchi 1.09.00

Irene Zahra 1.09.18

St. Patrick's AC Race Participation Scheme 2007 - 2008 Pos. NAME CATEGORY UP to Mellieha B'Bugia 10 K TOTAL

1 LEE MICALLEF M35 2562 226 2788

2 CARMEN HILI W35 2534 238 2772

3 WALLY GHILLER M50 2452 212 2664

4 PAUL GRIMA M45 2430 204 2634

5 DREW LANG M40 2342 248 2590

6 JONATHAN BALZAN M35 2472 2472

7 KSHEIM HAITHEM M OPEN 1972 250 2222

8 DAVID JONES M40 2008 200 2208

9 RUBEN DEBONO M45 1962 198 2160

10 RUBEN MAGRO M OPEN 1882 208 2090

11 MARISA MUSCAT W35 1854 232 2086

12 CHARLES DARMANIN M50 2038 2038

13 GINO CHETCUTI M45 1720 228 1948

14 EUGENIO FARRUGIA M45 1940 1940

15 STEPHEN MIFSUD M50 1632 240 1872

16 STEPHEN SPITERI M45 1494 220 1714

17 PETER BARBARA M55 1398 214 1612

18 MARTIN AGIUS M50 1316 236 1552

19 JIMMY BONNICI M40 1398 1398

20 ALFRED DEMARCO M55 1182 206 1388

21 PATRICK SALIBA M OPEN 1360 1360

22 CHARLES ABELA M35 1074 218 1292

23 PAULA VELLA W OPEN 1062 222 1284

24 ANDREA AGIUS M OPEN 1274 1274

25 MICHAEL GELLEL M35 1270 1270

26 SAVO RISTIC M35 1232 1232

27 MICHAEL CALLEJA M55 1188 1188

28 PHILIP CAMILLERI M60 1102 1102

29 DONALD CAUCHI M50 908 194 1102

30 EMILE VASSALLO M35 886 216 1102

31 GISELLE CAMILLERI W OPEN 850 244 1094

32 ANTOINE ATTARD M55 1060 1060

33 SIMON S. CAMILLERI M35 1058 1058

34 SINCLAIR GRIMA M35 806 234 1040

35 JUDE ZAMMIT M40 1038 1038

36 GEORGE VELLA M OPEN 1030 1030

37 KENNETH RYDER M60 1014 1014

38 JOSEPH ZERAFA M50 1006 1006

39 IVAN PADOVANI M45 984 984

40 CARMEL ZAMMIT M50 940 940

41 SIMONE MAGRI W35 928 928

42 RENATO CARUANA M35 926 926

43 CYPRIAN DALLI M OPEN 896 896

44 EMANUEL SPITERI M50 628 242 870

45 VITALE MANTO M60 656 210 866

46 SIMON STAFRACE M OPEN 826 826

47 GODWIN CUTAJAR M50 822 822

48 MARIO P. VELLA M45 822 822

49 KONRAD CIAPPARA M40 758 758

50 INAKI BERROETA M45 738 738

51 DAVID CACHIA 716 716

52 VICTOR SPITERI M65 506 202 708

53 CECIL BORDA M45 662 662

54 ANGELA SAMMUT W40 648 648

55 CARMEL CARUANA M40 620 620

56 HENDRIK D'AMATO M50 620 620

57 EDWIN SPITERI M60 424 196 620

58 MICHAEL GRIMA M OPEN 592 592

59 KATYA CIAPPARA W OPEN 584 584

60 PAWLU BRINCAT M50 566 566

61 LYDIA BARBARA W50 514 514

62 GEORGE ABELA M55 474 474

63 VINCENT SPITERI M60 452 452

64 RUBEN DEGIORGIO M OPEN 418 418

65 CARL MARIO ZAMMIT M OPEN 416 416

66 TONIO PRIVITELLI M45 404 404

67 VICTOR LAURENTI M45 402 402

68 ANTOINE ZAMMIT M45 174 224 398

69 PHILIP CAUCHI M35 390 390

70 DANICA SPITERI W OPEN 382 382

71 MONICA PISCOPO W55 376 376

72 ADRIANA TEDESCO W OPEN 344 344

73 KOSTANTIN ROSHNOV 0 246 246

74 ADRIAN FABRI 242 242

75 MICHAEL ATTARD M45 238 238

76 ALFRED CURMI 0 230 230

77 SIMON SPITERI M OPEN 220 220

78 ERNEST DESIRA M OPEN 206 206

79 JOYCE ZAMMIT 164 164

80 CHARLES MANGION 144 144

81 WAYNE SPITERI 142 142

Whilst every attempt is made to present an accurate set of results, these should be checked by each participating athlete so that any unintentional errors are corrected before the December issue of The Shamrock. If you know of or have spotted any such error, kindly get in touch with

Stephen Mifusd on 79443271 or stemif@maltanet.net.

St. Patrick’s AC Initiative: Across Sicily on a Bike Earlier this year, a number of members started training for a cycling trip to Sicily. The idea took off an ultimately a group of 65 cyclists made the trip including 10 athletes from St. Patrick’s AC: Jude Zammit, Martin Agius, Joe Zerafa, Emile Vassallo, Paul Brincat, Konrad Ciappara, Gino Chetcuti, Godwin Cutajar, Carmel Caruana, Renato Caruana. The trip also served to raise some funds for charity, with the figure of €300 being collected but it was a great experience as Jude Zammit explains. Who came up with the idea of the trip? I came up with the idea and then mentioned it to the other St. Patrick's athletes during a Sunday run. The idea immediately tantalized them. Was the intention always to go across Sicily or did it develop from something else? At first it was just a bike ride anywhere in Sicily but then I researched some possible routes on google earth and concluded over a trip from Pozzallo to Syracuse and back, an overall distance of 140km. I made a few flyers with route description and other related information and distributed them on a Sunday Run. Did you expect so many people to be interested in making the trip? At first all I had in mind was a handful of athletes. Myself and a couple of other athletes actually bought the ferry ticket immediately the other St .Patrick's athletes confirmed their participation soon after. Thereafter the idea spread like wild fire. Many of the St. Patrick’s athletes subsequently enticed to the challenge, friends and athletes from other clubs. The number of participants kept growing and growing. How did they get to know about it? Information regarding training was relayed by word of mouth. However many of us were long distance runners and they were used to arduous training. Also a good number of the participants were seasoned cyclists. Participants knew the effort that it entailed, however as the number continued to increase up to the end we never knew exactly who all the people were until we met to board the ferry boat. Did everything go to plan? No matter how much you plan, something unpredictable or accidental is always bound to happen. All in all the trip was a great success however we had a few mishaps such as: an injured cyclist who needed medical attention and our accompanying van had to take him to the Hospital in Syracuse; a couple of cyclists who had to forfeit due to dehydration; a group of cyclists that somehow got separated from the main group and took a detour of about 21km. Was it harder or easier than expected? I would not say harder than expected for those that trained properly. Having said that however it was definitely not easy and anyone not trained should not attempt such a feat. On average we had cycled for 7 to 8hrs at 20kph which is not exactly a walk in the park. Any plans for future trips? It is very satisfying that I received a lot of positive feedback and there seems to be a demand for such activities. With this in mind I definitely will be organizing an other trip in the near future. I am actually in the process of studying possible routes from which I will then choose the most feasible. From the Pozzallo Syracuse trip I have learned many things, I kept a note of what works and what does not, therefore the next trip should be even better.

Officiating the Track Apart from when they make a controversial decision, few people take notice of the officials during a track meeting yet they play a vital role. Antoine Attard spoke to Valerie Farrugia about the attraction and challenges of being an official Valerie how long have you been on the track officiating? I guess I am one of the longest serving officials. I have been officiating for more than 10 years now but for the last 2 years I have been the Starter. How do you feel when you raise the gun for a start? Excited as much as the athletes. I feel the responsibility of their hard work on me. What do you expect when the athletes are on the starting line? To be more calm and alert for the starter’s orders. Have you also officiated abroad? Yes, in fact I have been the first MAAA official together with our dear late Joe Gerada officiating in the South of England at Woodside Stadium Watford, Senior Men and Women championships way back in 1999. What is the best experience on the Track? Every time I am on the track as an official whether as a starter or a starter assistant, is a new experience. In International meetings such as when we had the GSSE, FISEC Games and our own International meetings. How do you see Maltese Athletics in the future? Good, we have a good number of promising athletes coming up. Within 2 years we will have some Track and Field new athletes. Do you think that officials should be paid for their services? In my opinion YES. I would not want to get paid. I do it because I personally love the sports and the athletes. I simply love doing it but one cannot oblige other official to do the same thing every week-end all year round. Where ever you go you will never find anyone working for nothing doing this kind of volunteer work. Do you find cooperation from other officials on the track? Yes we have got a small group of reliable people around and they cooperate really well. You have also started many Road Running Races. Can you tell us the difference found? For the last 5 years or more I have started every Road race. The difference on the road is that there is a good number of athletes starting at one go and the starters order is simply, On Your Marks and Shoot whilst on the track the orders are different. The starter has to concentrate and focus for a false start. Any ambitions? No not really. I am happy with what I am doing. I only pray our good Lord to keep me healthy as to continue doing this voluntary work for many, many more years.

Th e S h am r o c k Se p t em be r ‘ 0 8 8 w ww . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

St. Patrick’s AC runner Alfred Curmi joined a group of local athletes at the Pisa Half Marathon and came back with a masters’ title. His eventual finishing time of 1:32 might not have been a personal best – that lies at 1:29 in the Malta Half-Marathon, but it was good enough to win him the 55-60 age group title. “I was not expecting to do well because after the Malta Half-Marathon I had eased off training,” he said. “I only started training for this some three weeks before the event so I was very pleased to win this.” “The race was very enjoyable, even though it

was very hot. The route was interesting and there was a good feeling among the athletes.” This was not Alfred’s first running trip abroad as he has taken part in the London marathon twice, the Giulianova marathon and the Great Northern run. The latter has left an impression on him. ”It was a great experience. There were 40,000 people taking part and it was extremely enjoyable. I would recommend that race to anyone.” Indeed, he plans to return to Newcastle next year. “Every year I try to run abroad and I am looking to see where I can go next. However, I have to say that the Great Northern Run is the most likely destination at the moment.”

Pisa Success for Alfred Curmi

For the Latest News & Views on Maltese athletics visit

www.maltaathletics.blogspot.com

www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o T h e S h am r o c k S e p t em be r ‘ 0 8 1 3

One of the most respect long distance coaches on the island and the hugely popular author of a weekly column on athletics on the Times of Malta, John Walsh talks about Maltese long distance running in his first article for The Shamrock. Every year from November to February I write a weekly Saturday article on running in The Times. I began these articles way back in 1985 as a build-up to the first Malta Marathon in February 1986. I had to do so, because road running in Malta was still in its infancy (a recent Mdina-Spinola race had boasted a sparse field of only 18 runners). The early articles were filled with “training schedules”; basic advice on what sort of training a beginner might undertake in order to be able to stand on the future marathon startline. Some 23 years later, I still write articles every winter. Over the years I have been able to move away from offering direct training advice, since the number of runners in Malta capable of running either a half, or full marathon has grown, and these, in turn, have been passing on running advice to friends and club-mates. The most recent set of articles last year dealt with a subject I feel strongly about; Talent Identification. The general decline in participation (certainly in W. Europe) of young athletes in middle and long distance running has meant that we can no longer sit back and assume that enough youngsters will take up the sport that among them will be those who are inherently highly talented. Such are the cultural changes apparent in our society, with the drop in children’s activities (when did you last see children playing in the street?) coupled to the rise of competing pastimes (xBox, Sony Playstation, computers in general) and, sadly, the rise in childhood obesity, that fewer and fewer children are taking up track and field athletics. Which also means that fewer “stars” are available for discovery, and in those articles I provided details on the length of time for which some local middle and long distance records have stood (a number of them for 10-15 years).

The point of that series of articles was that we can “test” for potential physical talent; we can (and should) go out and look for future stars. However one thing I neglected to mention, and every bit as important as the “physical” potential, was the level of commitment of the person concerned. There is no way to achieve a high level of sporting excellence without a correspondingly high level of personal commitment. A large group of marathon runners in one study had to

respond to the question, “How important is it for you to excel in your sport? It soon became evident that those with the highest commitment (on a scale of 1-10) became the fastest runners. As the commitment scores decreased, so did the level of performance. The same was true for athletes in a variety of other sports. When members of the Swedish national badminton team were asked what was the main difference between them

and others who did not make the team, their response was commitment (e.g.: ‘wanting it more’, ‘being willing to train longer and harder’). Not surprisingly, the best athletes were those who were already most committed as Juniors. They made the sacrifices, they did “the extra” that they believed would one day make them excellent athletes. In a study in the US National Hockey League, top coaches and scouts were asked what they saw as the most important aspect for a player to make it as a pro. Desire, determination, attitude, heart and self-motivation were most often mentioned as the crucial ingredients that titled the balance between making it and not making it as a professional athlete. This level of sheer willingness to do plain old hard work may ultimately be the most important requirement for success in our chosen sport. There is no shortcut to success; no-one reaches the top as a distance runner on 10 miles of training per week. Echoing that sentiment I have always liked the saying of Juma Ikangaa, a 2:08 marathoner from Tanzania; “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare.”

The Vital Ingredient

Video game generation: fewer

children are taking up athletics

T h e S h am r oc k S e p t em be r ‘ 0 8 1 4 www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

1

Date: Sunday 5th October 2008

Time: 8 km Open Race: 8.30 a.m.

Start & Finish: St Patrick’s AC Clubhouse

Dawret il-Gudja, Gudja Bypass (close to Bettina Palace)

Race Benefits for ALL participants (including the Fun Runners):

• A commemorative medal

• A goodie bag, including an ERREA’ Tee Shirt

Prizes: 8km Open Race:

• First 3 Males: Trophy and Vouchers for €35, €25, €15

• First 3 Females: Trophy and Vouchers for €35, €25, €15

Age Groups:

• First Under 20 Male & Female

• Male Over 35/ 40/45/50/55/60/65/70

• Female Over 35/40/45/50/55/60

• 1st Male and 1st Female residing in Gudja

• Number of participants consisting of 8 and more, 1st, 2

nd and 3

rd prize awarded

• Number of participants consisting of 5 to 7, 1st and 2

nd prize awarded

• Less than 5 participants, only 1st prize awarded

Any athlete winning more than one prize must accept the first prize

Eligibility: • 8km: 17 years on the day of the race

• Fun Run: Open to all ages

Entry Fee: • 8km Open Race: € 10.00 • Fun Run: € 3.00

Course measurement: • The calibrated bicycle method shall be used.

• Course will be marked and marshaled

Water Stations: At the 4th kilometre, and Finish

Closing date: Saturday 27th September 2008.

Late entries will only be accepted against a fee of € 20.00.

Presentation: Will be held next to the St Patrick’s AC clubhouse after the race

Race Numbers and Results: Race Nos. will be sent by post whilst results will be sent by

e-mail but can also be downloaded from www.stpatricksac.info

St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.

The ERREA'

Gudja 8 K Road Race 2008

Under M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. Rules

RACE INFORMATIONRACE INFORMATIONRACE INFORMATIONRACE INFORMATION

2

PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS

Surname:

Name: Sex: Male Female

Address:

Telephone: Age on day of race:

E-Mail

Name of Club (if any):

I am entering the: 8km (€ 10) Fun Run (€ 3)

I enclose herewith my cheque/postal order no. , value , being the amount of

the entry fee. (Please note that entries will not be accepted unless accompanied by entry fee).

Cheques/Postal orders should be made payable to “ST PATRICK’S AC” only.

I declare that I will abide by the eligibility rules and competition rules of M.A.A.A. and St. Patrick’s AC.

I accept that the organisers will not be liable for any loss, damage or injury I may sustain as a consequence of

my participation in the “The ERREA’ GUDJA 8K ROAD RACE”. I declare that I have trained sufficiently for

the event and that a medical doctor has monitored my physical condition. I hereby declare that the above

particulars are complete and correct in every detail.

Tick Box if you DO NOT wish to include your E-mail address for promotional

purposes by Saint Patrick’s Athletic Club.

Signature: Date: 2008

Entries and remittance are to be sent to:

Race Organiser

ST PATRICK’S AC,

‘Wintermoor’ 69, Triq Karmenu Vassallo

L-Iklin BZN 11

Closing date: Saturday 27th September 2008

St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.St. Patricks’s A.C.

The ERREA'

Gudja 8 K Road Race 2008

Under M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. RulesUnder M.A.A.A. Rules

RACE APPLICATIONRACE APPLICATIONRACE APPLICATIONRACE APPLICATION

Application form for all St. Patrick's A.C. Athletes

participating in the

M.A.A.A. WINTER LEAGUE 2007/2008.

Commencing on Sunday 19th October 2008.

PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS

Surname:

Name: Sex (M-Male/F-Female):

Address:

Telephone: Date of Birth:

Entry Fee € 10.00. I enclose herewith my cheque/postal order no._________, value ________ being the amount of the entry fee. (Please note that entries will not be accepted unless accompanied by entry fee). Cheques/Postal orders should be made payable to “ST. PATRICK’S AC.” only. Signature : _________________________ Date : ____________________ Entries and remittance are to be sent to :

ST. PATRICK’S AC. 69 “WINTERMOOR”, KARMENU VASSALLO STR. L-IKLIN BZN 11

Closing date: Saturday 4th October 2008.

This application form can be photocopied.

The Shamrock September ’08 18 www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o

Future Stars: Birzebbugia Fun Run

Revision of Race Participation Scheme For the Athletic Season 2008/2009, the races that will be awarded points are as follows:

♣ Athletes should note that 2 road races and track events have been added to the list of races. In order to help the middle and back-of–the–pack runners it was decided that bonus points will be given to athletes as follows:500 extra points for completing ALL the

above races ;

♣ 400 extra points for completing all the above races except 1; ♣ 300 extra points for completing all the above races except 2; ♣ 200 extra points for completing all the above races except 3; ♣ 100 extra points for completing all the above races except 4

♣

This new system for giving points will be tried out for the coming season and improved upon after a year’s trial.

F’Ghajnejn ir-Runner Is-sajf qieghed maghna. Hafna shana u xemx tahraq li thallik bla nifs. Ahseb u ara kemm ikollok aptit titrenja u tibqa ghaddej b’dak ir-ritmu ta’ qabel is-sajf! Minhabba hekk, certu tlielaq li jigu organizzati jigu affetwati minn nuqqas ta’ konkorrenza, paragon ma’ dawk li jigu organizzati fix-xitwa. Specjalment dik ta’ Birzebbugia fejn kullhadd ibaghti fiha rigward hin, performance u attendnza. Pero’ dawk li jiehdu sehem, jipsiccaw it-tigrija bi tbissima li rnexxielhom jispiccaw fost atmosfera ferrieha u divertenti. Tigrija li tkun organizzata sa’ l-inqas dettal kif jafu jaghmlu s-St. Patrick’s kull meta jorganizzaw tellieqa. L-Annual General Meeting giet u ghaddiet. L-istorja regghat irrepetiet ruha. Ma kienx hemm iktar min ghaxar min nies apparti l-kumitat li l-anqas ma’ kien komplut.

Pero’ kien hemm diskussjonijiet interessanti. Dejjem nistaqs: ghaliex din l-apatija mill-membri? Ghaliex ma naghmlux ftit sforz biex ghallinqas nattendu darba f’sena u nkunu nafu x’qed jigri gewwa l-klabb u kullhadd ikun jista’ jghid tieghu? Nahseb li hemm xi haga li mhux timxi sew fil-klabb. Ghadni ma’ nafx x’inhi. Pretendejt li ghallinqas fost dawk prezenti jkun hemm it-Top Athletes. Imbaghad il-klabb jaghmel min kollox biex jagevolhom. Ma rajt il-hadd minnhom hlief wiehed. Nawgura lill-kumitat sena ohra tajba ta’ hidma. Hidma li jaghmlu volontarjament ghalina l-membri. Ahna l-bqijja tal-membri ghandna nkunu iktar rikonoxxenti lejhom. Inkunu pronti nhallsu l-mizata. Nattendu kull tigrija li jorganizza l-klabb taghna. Nigru bil-gear tal-klabb. Nattendu kull attivita li jorganizza u nippruvaw naghtu kontribut fix-Shamrock, l-ikbar mezz li ghandna biex naghtu vuci lil klabb u nzommuh haj u zghazugh. Paul Grima

Race Points Ladies 10K 200

Gudja 8K 300

MAAA Road Running League (4 or 5 races as per MAAA) 250 each

Malta Running Challenge 250

Zurrieq Half Marathon 200

Birkirkara 5k (December race only) 100

Mdina - Spinola 200

Malta Half & Full Marathon 250 / 300

Dingli 10 300

Pembroke 10K 200

Mellieha 10K 200

Mosta 8K 100

Birzebbugia 10K 300

Clubs League (Track & Field events covering 3 meetings 300

www . s t p a t r i c k s a c . i n f o The Shamrock September ’08 19