Bronze Award at the MOC Sports Awards 2010

Hi Everyone,

Last Saturday 4th December; there were the MOC Sports Awards at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. This is the 3rd consecutive year that I managed to be nominated for the final Gala night. I was nominated for my great performances in UK, in particular for my performance in the Nottingham Sprint Triathlon were I finished 2nd overall and 1st in my age group.

I was presented a Bronze Award. This is the 2nd consecutive Bronze Award and adds the total number of MOC Awards to 3. In 2008 I won a Gold award for my victory in the African Triathlon Championships and last year a Bronze Award for my victory in the Worcester Sprint Triathlon. I am very honoured to have won such an award. It’s nice to be given an award after all the efforts done during the year.



This award is another big achievement achieved this year, a year full of success where I managed to achieve my dream to be crowned National Champion. It was a great night for Malta Triathlon as it achieved its better result ever in these awards with Fabio Spiteri, Danica Spiteri, my brother Dermot and myself winning a bronze Award, Mark Zammit a silver award and the National Team a Gold Award. This clearly shows that Malta Triathlon, thanks to its association and dedicated athletes is improving and that finally is being recognised by the sports authorities.

Another success was achieved at the MOC Friendship Mediterranean Games were the Men’s Triathlon Team composed by Mark Zammit and myself won Gold. This is the first time that we managed to win gold in these Games. It was a race which happened to be in my preseason, so I was not in my best shape and since we got to know a bit late about this race, I forced myself a bit in training too soon and unfortunately I injured my hamstring, so went on the start line not very convinced in my abilities, however was determined to give everything for my country.




I managed a great performance and personally I am very surprised. I came out of the water in fourth place with 1.20 of disadvantage from the Sicilian, Salvatore Campagna who was leading the race. On the bike I was feeling great and managed to move up in the lead at the end of the bike. I went out of transition area to start the 5km run together with Salvatore. I was feeling the effort on the bike and that I was out of shape. Salvatore looked to have much more speed in his legs. My hamstring started to hurt me but this didn’t stop me and managed to hang on with Salvatore until the finish. I finished 2nd overall, beaten by 4 seconds and 1st Maltese. A very good performance as it was my first race as the National Champion.




I am happy with my performance although a bit frustrated because if the race was at least a month before, I would have won the race. This is the 2nd silver medal in these games after the one achieved in 2007. I am very happy with the Gold medal achieved in the team event. Another great result achieved for Malta Triathlon. Now I am focusing my training on the swim. I need to improve my swim, if I want to performance well in the ITU races next year. Last week I managed to do 21km of swimming, 100km bike and 72km running. Quiet a big load.

My next racing commitment is the Christmas road running race, Mdina-Spinola on the 19th December.

Take care

Yours in Sport

Keith.

Yo Adrian I did it

Hi Everyone,

At last, finally my dream come true. I am the new Malta Triathlon Champion. I have been dreaming and training hard for this title for 12 years. It was 1998, and I clearly remember my brother crossing the line and becoming National Champion for the first time in his career at the young age of 16 years old. It was then when I decided to take up the sport and I promised to myself that one day I will be crowned Malta Champion. Winning this title was not easy. I was close to win it for the last 3 years; being always the favourite but in the end I always missed the top spot of the podium. I was thinking that I would never achieve my dream since I never performed when I am contending a championship

I trained hard for the last 3 months in the UK and achieved great results. Everything was looking great for this race but the pressure I had was a lot. I was afraid not to perform like the previous championships. People were expecting me to win comfortably and this did not helped me. However for the first time, I kept focused and controlled my feelings and emotions. I knew that it was going to be a difficult race both physically and mentally. In fact when I came out of the water I had 2 minutes disadvantage from my closest rival, Mark Zammit. However I stayed calm and everything was going according to plan. Olympic Distance is a long race and I was ready to give everything I had in my body till the end.



Mark started fast, too fast for me. He knew that he had to push a lot in the swim and then trying to handle his advantage. I knew that Mark Sykes, who eventually won the overall race, has my same swimming pace so we stayed together. We paced the 1500m really well. At that point I was feeling good. After a good transition, I went to hammer the bike. However I was not feeling good. I was feeling a bit flat and I could not ride my usual pace. I was afraid. The demons of my previous championships defeats were coming through my mind. Sykes was really riding well. Surprisingly I was gaining ground on Mark reducing my disadvantage to 1.30 after the first lap. I was gaining ground also on brian magri who was a title contender as well.



Then I gained only 10seconds in the next 3 laps. I vomited as well on the bike. Things were not going well at that point. Then something happened. With 2 laps to go on the bike, I said to myself that if I wanted to win, then I had to do something. Then something strange happened. I felt a rush of energy in my legs, as if finally they got into the rhythm. I started to push like mad and I realized that i was gaining ground. I pushed and pushed and at the end of the bike my disadvantage was reduced to 10seconds. I gained more than a minute in the last 2 laps. I was still there. I did a miracle!!!!



Out from the transition to start the run, Mark opened a 50m gap but I quickly overtook him. I pushed up the first hill to get rid of him. I managed to open a good gap and from there I never looked back. On the run it was hot. I was feeling it a lot. I was still not used to the heat and I really suffered. I drank a lot and put a lot of water on my body to cool down and reduce my body temperature. I was not running as I should. My legs were flat again but I was keeping a good pace. I had a good advantage on Brian, so my job was to keep cool, drink and keep up the pace. I noticed that I was gaining ground on Sykes so I focused on him. However my body did not feel like to change speed. However I was still getting him. In the last km I was close but I did not want to win my first championship with a sprint finish. So I slowed down and enjoyed the last 200m. I was not interested in the overall win, I just wanted the title.

The last 200m were great. I visualized it million times. All those people supporting me and clapping when I was approaching the finishing line was amazing. I crossed the line and I was so happy that I shouted “I AM THE CHAMPION”. What a great feeling. Finally I did it. The first thing I did was to hug my parents. They knew how much I wanted this title. I cried like a baby afterwards. I could not believe that finally I did it. It was the most beautiful day of my life.



The support I had during the race was amazing. I never heard Marilyn shouting like that, my parents were great as usual and even athletes during the race supported me. I never knew that there were so many people who really wanted me to win. I am so happy and winning in front of my loved ones was amazing. I am very satisfied and being on the top spot of the podium as the national champion is a great feeling.

I would like to thank my parents, my brother Dermot, my coach Mr Dan Salcedo and my swimming coach Mr Catalin Stan, the club secretary Mr Euchar Camilleri, and the MTA President Mr Manuel Azzopardi who clearly remember my first steps in the sport,and all those who always believed in my talent and abilities.



As Rocky says “ It is not how hard you hit, it’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forwards, how much you can take and keep moving forwards” That’s how WINNING IS DONE!!!!

Now a well deserved rest!!!!! And thanks for following my blog.

“Yo Adrian, I did it”

Yours in sport,
Keith
Malta Triathlon Champion 2010

2nd age group win in UK

Hi Everyone,

Last Sunday I took part in the Roade Sprint Triathlon. This race was the last race of this year training camp in UK. I used this race also as a preparation for the national Championships next Sunday. I felt great and managed a fantastic 5th place overall and another age group win in a time of 55.34, which is a new PB by 2mins

Before this race I had 2 other races. On September 12, I took part in the 3rd race of the blue seventy series, The derby sprint triathlon which consisted of a 400m swim pool, 20km bike around the towns of derby and etwall and an off road 5km hilly run. I started with a very good swim, covering the 400m in 5.35. However I did a mistake as I went out too fast in the first 100m and really suffered in the last bit of the swim.

The bike was a very tough undulating course with many twists and turns which really slowed me down against the other athletes who knew the course much better than me. At one point Ii had to stop for a few seconds because I was blocked by 2 cars. However I managed to cover the 20km in 30.37. I started the run at a fast pace but since the course was off road with steep hills, I could not go for a very fast run split. However I pushed hard on the hills as I really like them. I covered the 5km in 18.20 with a finishing time of 57.30 placing 16th overall and 3rd in my age group. Thanks to this result, at the moment I am 3rd overall in the blue seventy series classification.



On the 22nd of September, I took part in the Hinckley 5km race, organised by the Hinckley running club. The race consisted of 2 undulating laps around the town centre so could not go for a personal best. I went out a bit too fast in the first kilometre so slowed down a bit. I tried to stay among the top 10 and keeping a fast pace. I did the first 2.5k in 8.22, so i realized that a PB was difficult, so I pushed to go under the 17mins.3 runners came past me and managed to stay with them till the finish. The finish was set at the top of a very steep hill so in the last 300m I launched an attack and manage to emerge out from the group finishing in a brilliant 8th place in a time of 17.02.

After the race, I realised that I was racing among very fast runners as the winning time was 14.58 and 2nd and 3rd did around 15.40. These are really fast times on such a hilly course especially the finishing hill which killed my legs completely.



Back to roade tri, the weather was very cold and it was very windy. I had a great swim covering the 414m pool swim in 5.30 (around 5.15/5.20 for 400m). Out of the pool, it was really cold and this affected me a bit on the bike as I could not warm up and this hampered a bit my performance. The bike consisted of another 2 undulating laps around the town of roade. It was very windy and cold and i could not get into my rhythm. However I registered a good time in such tough conditions of 31.17 registering the 4th best bike split of the day.

Then went out for the 2 lap 4.5km run and finally it was completely flat so I could go for a fast time. I was happy with this and so i really pushed till the end. Was feeling strong and my pace was getting faster and faster. I managed to cover the distance in 16.00 (around 17.40 for 5km). I pushed till the end which earned me the 2nd age group win of the year here in UK.

After such a good performance i am really looking forward for next Sunday’s race. An important race which brings the 2010 season to an end. I hope everything goes well and that my 2010 season ends with a great happy ending.

Will keep you updated.

Keith

1st in age group and 2nd overall in Nottingham

Hi Everyone,

Another race and another great result as yesterday I came 2nd overall and 1st in my age group in the Nottingham, Sprint Distance Triathlon. The race was held in Holme Pierrepont National Water Sport in Nottingham. Weather was great and it was a hot day which is very strange for UK weather. I had to drink a lot during the race in order to keep myself hydrated. I was in the first wave and I started the race very fast, this time managing to keep up with the leading group. There were no breaststroke swimmers this time in front. Came out of the water in 13th place and covered the 850m in 12minutes.



In the swim to bike transition, I moved up to seventh place and went to tackle the 20km bike segment which consisted of a 4 laps around the National Water Sports. I was feeling so good that I was riding like mad and at one point I was going straight into the fields as i braked a bit late. I was riding really well and was gaining a lot of ground on GB Athlete Peter Lynas who was leading the race. I registered the 3rd best bike split of the day covering the 20km in a personal best time of 28.30 with an impressive average of 41km/hr. By the end of the bike I caught eventual race winner and moved up to 3rd place.



After a fast bike to run transition, I went for a fast 5.5km 1 lap run around the water park. I tried to hold on with Eventual winner Chris Dale of CEEPO TFN but he was slightly faster as I was feeling a bit the effort I did on the bike but after a kilometre I started to push and push. After 3km I moved up to 2nd place. However I was joined by other 2 guys at 2km to go. Chris Dale opened a 25seconds margin and went to win the race in 1.00.40.

The second podium spot was highly contested. I was happy with a 2nd or 3rd but not with a 4th and did not want to lose a podium place in the last bit being beaten by someone who came from the back. So I was first who opened a storming sprint finish which saw me having the final word to win second place overall and top spot in my age group in a time of 1.01.05.



I am very happy with this performance. This is one of the best races of the season if not the best one. It is simply amazing achieving such a good results in a high profile race. It is amazing and it is so nice being on the top spot of the podium. Again the distances were not accurate so I could not get a PB time but today was in top form. I am very pleased. I felt strong from start till finish and finally I had a great swim keeping up with very good swimmers.

Now my next commitment in UK is the Sprint Team Time Trial Triathlon organised by Full Boar Racing on the 5th of September were I will be doing the bike segment.

That’s all for now and will keep you updated as always

Train Safe

Keith

6th in age group British Championships

Hi Everyone,

Last Sunday I took part in the Autoglass National British Championships which were held in Bedford. Obviously it was a very high profile race as the best of the GB Athletes like James Ratcliffe and Carl Shaw took part in the race. The race consisted of a 1.5km in the river, 43km loop around Bedford and a 3lap 10km run around the river.

I started very fast than usual and was keeping the pace with the first group. However the same thing happened in blithfied as I was slowed down by the swimmers of the previous wave thus loosing contact from the leading group. The first 800m were all against the current and this hampered my performance in the swim. However I still managed to register a good time of 22minutes.



After a very fast Transition, I went to tackle the 43km bike course round the town of Bedford. The course was quite flat, with a hill after 10km. It included a lot of roundabouts but this did not affect me from keeping an average speed of 40km/hr thus covering the distance in 1.06.42.



I started the 10km with a good pace. Since the run route consisted of a 3 lap flat course of 3.3km each, I ran in negative splits. I tried to run one lap faster than the other. I managed to do so and ran the 10km in 36.19 to finish the race in 2hrs 7minutes. I placed 30th overall from 600 athletes and 6th in my age group category.

I am very happy with my performance. It was a good race and I am happy with each discipline and even with my transitions which were fast as well today. It’s a pity that the bike and swim course were longer than the standard distance because today I was in a very good shape to go under the 2hrs but never mind I am happy. The placing is great considering that I raced against the best British athletes and the first 3 in my age group came first, second and third overall, so yes, it is a great result”

James Ratcliffe and Catherine Pickthall beat all opposition at Bedford to be crowned 2010 British Triathlon Champions. My next commitment in UK is the Nottingham Sprint Triathlon on the 22nd August.

Will Keep you updated

Keith.

Fine showing in Blithfield

Hi Everyone.

Finally I am in UK training like a professional athlete. It is a dream for me that now i have only one priority at the moment which is Triathlon. Till now I have been in UK for 3 weeks and training has been going really well. On 1st August I did my first triathlon. I took part in the Blithfied Olympic Triathlon which is part of the Blue Seventy Series.

I was looking for a good result as the races I did in Malta before my trip to U.K. were very encouraging. I managed to go under the 17min barrier in a 5km by placing 4th in a time of 16.36 in the 5km Birkirkara Race 1 Series. I won the 2nd race of the BSJ Triathlon Series in a Personal best time of 1hr 00mins 14sec, winning by a 20sec margin after a great battle against Mark Zammit and finally came 7th in a new Personal Best time of 29.17 in the 20km Time Trail Organised by Birkirkara St Joseph.



Since it was a qualifying race for the world championships there was a strong field competing for this race. However it did not affected me as I was concentrated only to get as much as points possible for the series. Besides the Olympic, there was a Sprint Distance race going on which started 5mins before my race. This factor affected most of the triathletes doing the Olympic Race.

Started really strong and tried to stay behind a good group. However in the first lap I had to stop frequently as I was slowed down by swimmers who were doing the Sprint race, doing breaststroke and this affected me from swimming my usual rhythm. I covered 1.5km in 22mins which is not as good as expected. Whilst doing my transition the helmet of the one next to me fell from his bike with the wind. Then whilst I was going out of transition, a marshal told me to go back and put the helmet back in its place as it was my fault. I lost plenty of time here!!!

On the bike was very strong. It was a very hard course with tight corners and many hills. I was very strong on the hills and was catching up time from the leaders and moved up a couple of positions as well. In the first lap I was very cautions but in the second one I was feeling more confident and was taking some risks as well. I covered the 40km in 1hr 3mins in an average speed of 38km/hr

In the run I tried to run as fast as possible but half of the route was off-road and this did not helped me to run to the best of my abilities. I don’t know how many times I twisted my ankle. However I covered the 10km in 36minutes 37seconds . A good time on such a hard course. I finished the race in 2hrs 4mins in 14th place and came 3rd in my age group. With this 3rd place, I managed to qualifiy for the World Championships in Budapest next September.



I am very pleased with my result. I am not so happy with the swim but had to face some challenges during the 1.5km. I am pleased with my bike and running splits. At the moment I am 4th overall in the Blue Seventy Series. I am looking forward to continue training in UK and to prepare well for my next commitment here in England which is the Bedford Olympic British Triathlon Championships on the 15th August.

That’s all for now

Keith.

My 10th win in Malta

Hi Everyone,

Last Sunday I won my 10th Triathlon in Malta. It was a great race. I was focused on the race from the start and even when I was second at the start of the bike, I kept calm and confident that I am going to win the race. I like the feeling of winning but winning with 2mins and a half, the feeling is much nicer.

I am very pleased with my swim. I started a bit slow and Mark Zammit who did a great swim took the lead and opened immediately a gap. It took me 100m to get into the pace and then I tried to maintain the gap between mark and I. I covered 750m in 11mins and after a fast transition, I started pushing immediately on the bike to get mark. After a lap, I got mark and continued to dig in to open a gap. I managed to do so and came to transition area with a good advantage.

I was a class of my own on my bike 'Federica' as we covered 20km in 30.45. Best bike split ever. In the run, I ran at a speed to keep my advantage and came home 1st in a personal best time of 1.00 36. This was the first ever win with 'Federica'


photo taken by cliff sultana

Before this race I took part in several other races with very positive results. On the 23rd May I took part in the Mosta 10km running race. I did really well as I placed 5th overall among the top Maltese runners in a personal best time of 34.55, 5 seconds away from 3rd place. I was overjoyed following this performance, more so having reached a milestone on the roads were i started my career



I also took part in the 33.7km Salina Time Trial which is part of the National Time Trial Cycling Championships. I placed 8th in a time of 50.59 keeping an average speed of 40km/hr. Another positive result was achieved in the Birkirkara St Joseph 2km Swim race on the 7th June. I won the race in a Time of 29.37. It was a hard race to win as I had to power a 25m sprint finish to emerge from a group of three swimmers to win the race

That’s all for now.

Train Safe.

Keith