Birkirkara St. Joseph triathlete Keith Galea, currently undergoing intensive training in the United Kingdom in preparation for the forthcoming national championships, registered a couple of victories in triathlons he contested recently.
His first commitment was a triathlon on the Olympic distances (1500 metres swim, 40 kilometres bike and a 10 kilometres run).
In a field of 500 triathletes, which included a couple of professionals and several elite triathletes, Galea finished sixth overall, just over a minute away from third place, and also placing first in his age-group.
This is the third victory for the Birkirkara St. Joseph triathlete abroad. Apart from a brilliant performance, the high-flying Galea managed to improve his time on an Olympic distance by one minute, 25 seconds.
His previous personal best of two hours and 20 seconds he achieved at the Triathlon Championships of the Small States of Europe last May, was reduced to one hour 59 minutes eight seconds to become the fourth Maltese ever to break the 2 hour barrier.
He finished the 1.5 kilometres swim in the excellent time of 18 minutes 4 seconds. After a reasonable good swim-to-cycle transition, Galea set on his bike for a 40 kilometres time trial.
The bike course was 2two laps of 20 kilometres each, on a very undulating route with a steep hill at the end of each lap. He covered the 40 kilometres in one hour, three minutes at an average speed of 38 kilometres per hour, to start the three laps 10 kilometres run at a very steady pace.
Near the final stages of the race, believing that a time under the magical two hours was within his grasp, he gave his all, to finish the race in a sprint. He ran the10 kilometres in 35 minutes 39 seconds, to finish the triathlon in one hour, 59 minutes 8 seconds.
His second commitment in the UK was a sprint triathlon. This time the Birkirkara triathlete managed to achieve an overall victory in the Worcester Sprint Triathlon by four seconds in front of Mark Couldwell, a professional Triathlete sponsored by Total Fitness Nottingham.
The triathlon started with a 400 metre swim in a 25 metre pool. Galea registered a time of five minutes 25 seconds. Following a swim to bike transition, Galea headed out to tackle a hilly 20 kilometres route around the town of Droitwitch.
Conscious of his climbing prowess, Galea cycled strongly throughout this undulating route, to finish this segment in 32 minutes 55 seconds. In the final 5 kilometres run Galea was placed in a very good position to challenge for the top honours.
Running at a steady pace he climbed to second place, rapidly closing the gap on the race leader. In the final stages, Galea opened the sprint that won him the race with a margin of four seconds in a time of 58 minutes 59 seconds.