Hajja Salesjana Jan-Mar 2019

33 H AJJA S ALESJANA time to time? Which race is most at heart and why? Tell us about your PBs and the immediate feelings post a new PB? I count myself lucky to have been able to race against the best local athletes as well as some of the best talent in the world. Sadly it’s true, we as a country are still a long way from being able to compete and achieve results internationally and with the world’s biggest stars. However I trust that in time, especially considering some of the upcoming talent, with good investment and sacrifice there will be opportunities to grow and improve the athletics’ scene here in Malta. Competing abroad and representing one’s country is always an honour and I have been privileged to have experienced it quite a few times. Every time I compete abroad I try not to put undue pressure on myself but nonetheless do my very best. Aware that my competition is on a higher level encourages me more to push myself and keep up with them. I try to be confident, calm and enjoy the experience. I started out running the 1500m and 3000m but now as I have grown older I am eligible to compete in the road races. I sometimes run the 5000m as an enjoyable way to challenge myself. In fact when I ran my personal best in the 5000m, at 17:15, I was very surprised as I wasn’t really prepared for it and I ran very comfortably. I just ran with a smile on my face and enjoyed the race. I was surprised when I looked at my watch and saw the time, it gave me a sense of triumph and hunger for more at the same time. This year I tried to focus more on the 1500m and 800m to try and test my speed, this proved to be a good decision as I have performed beyond my expectations for this year. I have improved considerably, even more than what I had imagined. In a single year I managed to lower my personal bests by 5 seconds in the 800m to 2:03 and 17 seconds in the 1500m to 4:19. Every year there isn’t a specific goal in mind apart from improving my personal bests, however my dream and long term goal is to be able to run a sub 2 minute 800m as well as a sub 4 minute 1500m. The 800m race holds a special place in my heart, the combination of speed and endurance make it one of the hardest races out there. Not to mention that it is my role model, Matthew Crocker’s, main race. My goal before any race is to go for a new personal best. Once achieved this gives you the most rewarding feelings, knowing that all your hard work and sacrifices were all worthwhile and are finally showing results. Jake, you are a smart student and an outstanding athlete. I am asking for an advice since I deem fit that you are proved and tested. What message would you like to convey to those students-athletes who, this year will be sitting for their ‘O’ levels and suggest if possible the proper or idyllic way to cope with both without neglecting neither studies nor athletics? Research indicates that sports can help you perform better academically. It isn’t easy, but anyone can manage to keep up with their studies and sport. Time management is very important. Know your goals and prioritize wisely. Plan ahead and eliminate distractions. Social media and your smartphone can be your most sneaky time waster, so be careful! It involves a lot of dedication and love for the sport too. My advice would be to be committed to both schooling and sports equally. With some sacrifices and hard work even though it may seem demanding and hard, at the end of the day you won’t be disappointed especially with your results. If I did it you can do it too!