The National Championships held by the Association for Youths (14 and 15 years’ old) and Cadets (aged 12 and 13) naturally hold a special attraction for youngsters eager to step onto the podium as medal winners. Pembroke Athleta, with its coaching structure, again emerged as a dominant force, with athletes winning 37 medals in all, 20 of which of the brightest hue.
At the older category Alessia Cristina, the current, youth fastest girl in the Maltese Islands this decade, dominated both the prestigious 100m and 200m, recording 12.54 and 25.50 seconds respectively, times an envy of many older, more established athletes. Equally impressive and of prestige were the results and top podiums obtained by Rachela Pace and Jeremy Zammit in the Long Jump, Rachela also taking silver in the 100m.
A victory of notice was obtained in the 3000m by the very promising Jacob Greengrass who dipped below 10 minutes in this less fancied event, which makes the achievement sweeter still as he was practically competing without any challengers. Another brace of gold medals was won by Lauren Eve Borg in the 75m hurdles and High Jump, events that Pembroke coaches put a lot of emphasis on, Lauren also adding a silver for the High Jump. Kaia Agius and Yesenia Vassallo complimented Lauren in the hurdles.
Encouraging for Pembroke were the numerous results obtained in the lower category, with Jade Borg dominant in the 600m, Long Jump and Discus as well as part of the victorious girls’ relay team, and Elisa Bondin, victorious in the 100m, 300m and shot put, besides her top podium in the relay for girls. Other top medal winners were Daniil Confalonieri in the 100 and 300m sprints, Gianni Bugelli in the 75m hurdles and the 600m, and Nathan Saliba in the High Jump, all three bagging another relay gold along with Benjamin Buhagiar in the Boys’ relay. Kay Testa and Ekaterina Rollasson making up the winning girls’ team, proving Pembroke’s dominance in the sprinting and jumping events especially.
Other than her relay gold, Kay Testa was Pembroke’s silver girl (Hurdles, 100 and 300m), Jade Borg adding to her bagful with a silver in the High Jump and 2 bronze medals in the Hurdles and 300m.
To cap the medal haul Ekaterina Rollasson took silver and Letizia Bonnici a bronze in the High Jump, with Samuel Liebert a silver in the same event for boys.
The above relates to the girls and boys stepping on the podium, however, the club boasts of many other youngsters expecting to burst onto the scene in months, if not weeks, to come, making the Pembroke club extremely proud of helping those athletes and their parents who have made the choice of joining up with Malta’s foremost club in Track & Field.
