The kick-off Track and Field athletic meeting in this Olympic Year got off to a flying start, that is, if one were to count the wind factor.

More at ease with the ideal atmospheric conditions faced last year at this inaugural meet, most athletes, as was to be expected, turned in modest results at most events, with the sprint events being the most attractive.

At the meeting, reserved for athletes aged 16 years or older, not many spectators braved the chilly weather, thereby missing some keen contests.

Darren Francis Gilford for Pembroke Athleta won the senior 60m for men ahead of the evergreen Mario Bonello with Nikolai Portelli a whisker behind.

In the same race for the women, Lara Scerri edged out Therese Mallia.

Another keen tussle was that won by Ezekiel Micallef in a tight finish for the Junior 60m. In fact, Andrew Cassar Torregiani from the same Pembroke Athleta club was just two hundredths of a second short.

Soon afterwards, this promising youngster was clearing 5.83 metres in the long jump, behind what was probably the most encouraging result of the day, where Andy Grech cleared 6.60m, just 2 cms off the junior record in his possession.

In the 60m for Junior girls, it was the turn of Karen Camilleri to emulate the boys when she beat to the tape Dorianne Micallef from the same Pembroke club.

Later in the afternoon Micallef went on to win the 200m, as did Mario Bonello, in which the La Salle Tristar sprinter managed to keep at bay Owen Camilleri and Kevin Galea for Pembroke.

In some of the other events of the day Simon Spiteri for St Patrick’s won the 800m, Antonella Chouhal for Libertas won the Shot and Discus and Mario Mifsud for Allcomers Aloysians the same events for the Men.

Zurrieq Wolves also had their say, Ian Elul bagging the 400m and Neil Brimmer the 3000 metres, with Joelle Cortis (Pembroke) winning at the same distance. Josann Attard for Starmax won the 1500m and for Savio A C it was left for youngster Luke Gauci to win the throws in the Intermediate age bracket.