“I am a person who likes to set targets, so my new year’s resolution was to regain my place in the national team.” For the past couple of years, Giselle Camilleri has struggled to overcome a series of persistent injuries. Time and again her comebacks were curtailed by further grievances and every time she seemed to be getting back into her stride something would crop up to send her back to the treatment table.

Pushing her through was her determination and willingness to succeed. So when she finally set a time of 18:01:06 to qualify for the European Second Division Championship to be held this weekend in Banska Bystrica in Slovakia, it was the just reward for her efforts.

“This result means a big come back for me. It proved to me that with dedication, perseverance, patience and self belief everything is possible.”

“I hate quitting,” she emphasises “I am optimistic about my future and since I believe that I haven’t yet reached my full potential in running I will keep on running. Naturally, it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my coach Ivan Rozhnov, St. Patrick’s AC president Antoine Attard and my sponsors www.enjoytherun.com.”

Even so, she wasn’t expecting to set the qualifying mark when she did. “The plan for the race was to start at a slower pace than qualifying. My coach thought that if I was close then it would be good enough since there are more track races where I could improve.”

“On the day however I felt determined to qualify and not wait. Until the 3 kilometre I was off target then I switched gear and decided to go for it. In the final kilometre I looked at my watch, quickly calculated how I was doing, clenched my teeth and pushed on without evin thinking about the qualification mark. At the finish line I was elated to have finally made it.”

Having achieved one important goal, Camilleri is now focusing on her next objectives. “My target for this year is simply to keep on improving so as to be in a position to qualify for next year’s GSSE. I like to think positive so I work a lot mentally. Injuries apart I am confident that next year I will do a personal best on 5km.”

“I don’t want to win bronze but silver or, why not, gold,” said the bronze medal winner in the 2003 edition of the GSSE. “Not in the European cup because I feel that I am still far from that level but in next year’s GSSE. I will fly the Maltese flag up high, I am ready to follow my coach’s advice and train hard.”

Also in Camilleri’s plans is the Birzebbuga Garmin 10k to be held on the 11th July and which is organised by her club St. Patrick’s AC. Application forms may be downloaded from the club’s website at www.stpatricks-ac.org.