How the gold was won

I am writing to correct reports, which appeared in certain sports columns as well as on TV, which indicated that Jeandre Mallia, the runner of the first leg in the men's 4x100m (in the GSSE - Andorra), was in fourth place when he handed the baton over to Rashid Chouhal.

This is not correct and I felt that it was important to recount what happened and how our team won the gold medal in this event.

First of all, I need to explain that the 4x100m is run in lanes. The first runner starts from starting blocks which are staggered each about a distance of two metres behind the other.

This is done to compensate for the curve as the inside lane is shorter than that on the outside.

The changeover of the baton is made within a marked zone which is 20m long and marked by two yellow lines, one at the start and the other at the end of the zone.

Now what happens is that the second runner would start running fast when the incoming team-mate is about eight metres from him so that when the baton is handed over, towards the end part of the zone, both athletes should be running almost at top speed - that is the efficient baton change.

Some changes are made at the beginning, some at the middle and others at the end of the zone depending on how well trained the athletes are.

Mallia (in lane 3) was fast off the blocks and was actually up with the first runners when he handed over to Chouhal. He was never overtaken by the others in the inside lanes (Monaco and San Marino in lanes 1 and 2).

Because the start is staggered, the baton change zones are staggered and so when seen from the other side of the track the runner in lane four (Cyprus) appears to be about two metres in front of Mallia, the runner in the fifth lane (Luxembourg) appears to be some four metres in front and so on.

The effect of the stagger evens out at the start of the final leg, when coming into the final straight.

Chouhal was already running fast when he received the baton from Mallia. This means that he received the baton somewhere towards the end of the zone (a perfect change-over).

He continued to accelerate and caught up and ran past two other athletes (of Cyprus and Luxembourg) running on the outer lanes, putting the Malta team metres in front.

The second baton-change from Chouhal to Mario Bonello was not so efficient giving the Cyprus man in lane four the chance to catch up with Bonello, who, since he was running in the inside lane, was still at least two metres in front.

Running around the curve is Bonello's speciality and putting all his experience and speed into his efforts he soon increased the gap between himself and the Cypriot runner.

As soon as he approached the change-over zone, Darren Gilford took off fast and after running a few steps stretched out his left hand for Bonello to place the baton in his palm.

Gilford accelerated down the straight with Bonello urging him on. The Cypriot runners, in their haste to catch up, dropped their baton and were disqualified. The Luxembourg team, who were in the meantime trailing behind Cyprus, found themselves in second position.

A jubilant Gilford crossed the finishing line in 40.63 seconds, a full eight metres ahead of Luxembourg (41.32) amidst the din and applause of all to claim the gold medal.

Indeed a fitting climax to a red letter day for Maltese athletics.

NOTE: Anthony Chircop is the president of the Malta Amateur Athletics Association.