Team unity the key to Saints' success

Marsascala was once again the setting for Athletics Malta's Road Relays and, even though there wasn't a large turnout, those who did turn up witnessed the latest of this season's face-off between St Patrick's AC and Mellieha AC.

St Patrick's surprisingly set off with Jonathan Balzan, their strongest runner, who admitted that he had been the one to ask to go first.

"I wanted to put off pressure so I asked my coach to go first," he said. "Thankfully, it had also been his plan for me to open a gap with the hope that the others in the team could maintain it."

It was a gamble that paid off. "I think it influenced the others because they had to keep it in mind and try to push harder to reduce the gap," Balzan added.

"Mentally I felt better as I didn't have to wait for my turn, although not having the usual runners besides me was a bit confusing. Ultimately, it was a good team effort so I have to thank Michael Gellel, Drew Lang and Haitem Ksheim for their effort as well as the club's coach Roger Zammit and our sponsors."

Despite the initial gap, Mellieha AC never gave up and ended with a fantastic run by Charles Cilia. Yet, this wasn't enough to stop them from finishing second, 42 seconds behind St Patrick's.

Robert Attard, who ran the second leg for Mellieha, acknowledged Cilia's effort.

"Even though Cilia did superbly well for us in the last leg, running 11 seconds better than Haitem, the gap was too wide to cancel and St Patrick's were comfortable winners," he said.

"The Road Relay is a different race from the others, in a way it is a bit more fun as well. As a team we always have a chance to win it so it is an important race.

"It doesn't bother me that it is so close to the marathon.

"I need races and at the moment I am doing every race."

The other two athletes on the Mellieha team were Johann Galea and Robert Chetcuti.

Pembroke Athleta, with a team made up of Nigel Camilleri, Mario Pisani, Brian Magri and Simon Camilleri were third.

Sadly, the Ladies Running Club (Francesca Arrigo, Liz Said, Elizabeth Pisani and Agnes Bonett) were the only ones to present a team in the women's category.

There was a better turnout in the youths where Savio AC provided three boys' teams while Pembroke Athleta put forward a girls' team.