Hill Climb highlights emerging talents

A week ahead of World Athletics Day which takes place today, Wednesday at Lathbury the GAAA organised a Hill Climb for its youth runners.
Although the challenge was taken up by a considerable smaller number of athletes to that seen during the Youth Road Runners league, the potential show by those participating highlighting a bright future for the sport.
Of notable mention the participation of the older year groups in what was a challenging event highlighted the commitment of these runners. Also notable was the strength and pace show by younger athletes who provide steep competition even for the older runners.
The short hill climb event produced some impressive performances across a wide range of age groups, with the fastest times highlighting both athletic potential and effective pacing strategies on an incline for these young set of runners. Some repeating in the event after last season.

Overall Performance
Alex Gordon (13) set the fastest time overall at 4.13, showcasing both speed and stamina, crucial on an uphill route. Close behind was Olivia Roberts Patterson (12) with 4.16, making her the top-performing female competitor and second overall. The top four athletes all clocked sub-4.45 times.

Age Group Trends
Ages 12–13 Dominance: This group clearly dominated the overall standings, taking the top four positions. This was to cause little surprise with many observing that it was expected in hill climb events, where a balance of developing strength and lighter body mass offers an advantage. The Patterson siblings performed especially well, both securing top-4 finishes.

Strong Youth Potential (Under 10s): Charlie Da Silva Stoneman (9) and Liam Payas (9) stood out, placing 5th and 6th overall with times under 5 minutes. The young athletes, showing valuable traits for future middle-distance or cross-country events.

Girls’ Competitive Depth: The top three girls in the 13-year category (Mya Moore, Julia Laguea, and Isabella Bottaro) all finished with competitive times ranging from 5.42 to 6.38, suggesting good depth in this age group. Olivia and Sophie Roberts Patterson (both 12) also ran strongly, outperforming most older competitors.

Emerging Talent in Younger Age Groups: Among the youngest participants, Noah Jeffries Mor (8) posted a commendable 5.10, placing him 7th overall and showing strong promise. Meanwhile, Robyn Baglietto, also 8, completed the climb in 6.50, highlighting grit and determination despite the physical challenge for her age.

Pacing and Physicality Considerations
Hill climbs are known to be demanding events requiring a blend of aerobic power, technique, and mental resilience. The results indicate that older children with more physical maturity (ages 12–13) had the edge, as expected. However, the tight gaps between finishers suggest a strong understanding of pacing, especially among the top 6, where only 0.45 seconds separate 1st and 5th. This an attribute which will not be missed by coaches whose work have seen athletes encourage to take up challenges such as these.
The youngest competitors, while naturally slower, still managed steady efforts—valuable experience for long-term athletic progression.
The results from this short hill climb underlined the strength of the 12–13 age group and hint at future athletic potential in the younger runners. Continued development through training, especially focusing on hill technique and strength endurance, could see several of these athletes progressing successfully into more competitive racing formats. This especially important for the sport as Gibraltar looks set to be encouraging the development of events such as Endurance racing.

Today Wednesday the GAAA will host the Youth World Athletics Day which I hoped will see athletes from neighbouring towns converging at Lathbury Sports Complex.
Both track and field events will take place with local athletes having an opportunity to race against a variety of skill levels on their home track.

OVERALL RESULTS

Placing Name Age Position Time
1 Alex Gordon 13 1 4.13
2 Olivia Roberts Patterson 12 2 4.16
3 Ben Gordon 12 3 4.38
4 Sophie Roberts Patterson 12 4 4.41
5 Charlie Da Silva Stoneman 9 5 4.51
6 Liam Payas 9 6 4.58
7 Noah Jeffries Mor 8 7 5.10
8 Mya Moore 13 8 5.42
9 Francesco Baglietto 10 9 5.47
10 Julia Laguea 13 10 6.04
11 Sienna Mae Harper 10 11 6.33
12 Isabella Bottaro 13 12 6.38
13 Erin Duncan 14 13 6.38
14 Robyn Baglietto 8 14 6.50

AGE GROUP RESULTS
AGED 8 BOYS
1 Noah Jeffries Mor 8 1 5.10

AGED 8 GIRLS
1 Robyn Baglietto 8 1 6.50

AGED 9 BOYS
1 Charlie Da Silva Stoneman 9 1 4.51
2 Liam Payas 9 2 4.58

AGED 10 BOYS
1 Francesco Baglietto 10 1 5.47

AGED 10 GIRLS
1 Sienna Mae Harper 10 1 6.33

AGED 12 GIRLS
1 Olivia Roberts Patterson 12 1 4.16
2 Sophie Roberts Patterson 12 2 4.41

AGED 12 BOYS
1 Ben Gordon 12 1 4.38

AGED 13 BOYS
1 Alex Gordon 13 1 4.13

AGED 13 GIRLS
1 Mya Moore 13 1 5.42
2 Julia Laguea 13 2 6.04
3 Isabella Bottaro 13 3 6.38

AGED 14 GIRLS
1 Erin Duncan 14 1 6.38