Sprints and hurdles took center stage at the second Challenge Meeting held at the Marsa track.
Ben Salnitro delivered an outstanding performance, opting to compete in the senior 110m hurdles (107cm) despite still being in the U20 category. He clocked an impressive 14.94s, setting a new Under-20 and U-23 national record. Having secured the CSSE qualifying time, Salnitro can now shift focus to the U20 hurdle height (99cm) as he targets qualification for the World U20 Championships.
In the women’s 100m, Claire Azzopardi produced a superb run to win in 11.77s. This mark meets the minimum qualifying standards for several major competitions, including the Balkan Championships and the Mediterranean Games. Thea Parnis Coleiro finished second in 12.03s, just ahead of Charlotte Wingfield, who clocked 12.04s.
Parnis Coleiro returned even stronger in the 200m, claiming victory in 24.30s and achieving the qualifying standard for the World U20 Championships, a very important milestone for local athletics.
In the men’s 100m, Omar El Aida Chaffey of Żurrieq secured first place with a fast 10.71s. Graham Pellegrini followed closely, setting a new personal best of 10.75s, while Jacob El Aida Chaffey finished third in 10.95s.
Pellegrini then swapped places with Omar El Aida Chaffey, to take top spot in the 200m, with a superb 21.41s timing earning him qualification to the Balkan Championships. Omar finished second with 21.71s.
Beyond Malta, Jared Micallef impressed at the Australian Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park, placing fifth overall in the 800m with a time of 1:47.83.
