The sweltering heat of the Sahara Desert was no match for four Maltese endurance runners who successfully completed the Marathon des Sables, a race made up of several stages in Morocco.
The four athletes – Daniel Agius, Steve Chetcuti, Ben Mifsud and Jack Schiavone – had to be self-sufficient to cover a distance of 250 kilometres, carrying their own backpack with food, sleeping gear and other material.
“Ahead of the race we spent two nights sleeping in the tents and that alone had already shown us that this was not going to be an easy endeavour from all aspects.
“In fact, the race was tougher than I had expected,” Mr Agius told the Times of Malta, adding that the stretches of sand dunes were hard to tackle with a backpack weighing just under 10 kilogrammes.
According to Mr Agius, the 86.2 kilometre-long stage was the most difficult as the route had to be completed in the dark and alone.
“Apart from the blisters and sand storms, the scenery in the desert and great company of the rest of the team made all this an amazing experience,” Mr Agius said.
“Crossing the finish line and receiving the medal were two unforgettable moments.”
Steve ChetcutiAll four Maltese runners were satisfied with their performance, with Mr Chetcuti also managing to finish in 75th position overall and 25th in his category.
For Mr Chetcuti, the desert run was his first such experience – this came with the added burden of doubting whether he had prepared well enough.
“I was very cautious in the first three stages, taking care to drink enough water and taking the right amount of salt tablets,” he said.
“I also had to reserve as much energy as possible for the longest stage. Caution was key. You have to respect the desert and if you overdo it, the Marathon des Sables does not give you a second chance.”
Some 1,000 participants from all parts of the world flocked to the desert for the week-long event.
Apart from the challenge being a personal one, the four men also used the endeavour to raise funds for triathlete Jake Vella, one of some 75 people in the world suffering from rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, hypo-ventilation and autonomic dysregulation.
Patients with this rare disease suffer from hormonal obesity.
Jack Schiavone
Daniel Agius
Ben Mifsud