It was a special day for the 13-year-old Cechini twins, Gabriella and Joseph, when they won their respective races at the Bermuda School Sports Federation Middle School Cross-Country Championships at the Arboretum yesterday.

The siblings attend Somersfield Academy and for Gabriella, the winner of the middle school race in the Butterfield Mile and the Butterfield and Vallis 5K, continued her fine exploits when winning over-13 girls title in a time of 12min 2sec. She was the under-13 champion last year.

Joseph improved improved from finishing seventh last year when he stormed to victory in the over-13 boys race.

“It feels great to win and it was a long race,’’ Gabriella said.

“I wouldn't say I enjoyed it but I like running, I like what I do. The hills were definitely tough but I was able to pull through and win.

“I came off at the front and I stayed there until the end of the race. Going into the race I was worried about Isla Paddison, of Saltus. She’s very fast and we’re very competitive with each other, but we always try to give it our best and we always help each other do well.”

Joseph, whose finishing time was 11:37, was superb in a field of talented runners that included Warwick Academy’s Zydon Lightbourne-Furbert, the Butterfield Mile middle school champion, but he could finish only fourth here.

“It was a struggle but all the hard work paid off eventually,” Joseph told The Royal Gazette.

“I really enjoyed the race, it was painful but I came out on top. The most difficult part was the hill, especially the last lap when it was the most painful and my quads and hamstring hurt the most.

“I broke away from the rest of the group in the second lap around the hill. I came fifth in the Front Street Mile, so it feels really good that I beat the winner of that race because he beat me by quite a lot.”

Warwick Academy’s Jens Drea clocked 11:35 to triumph in the under-13 boys.

Drea, 12, was delighted to compete as he missed last year’s race as a result of illness.

“It was my first time winning so it felt amazing,’’ Drea said.

“I would have done it last year but I got sick, so it feels really good. My start wasn't the best and I was behind a few people, but by the start of the hilly route I got first and I stayed that way until the end.

“On the first lap at the end I started to create a gap with the people behind me and from there I was alone.”

Salts Grammar School’s Sukanya Jobson won the under-13 girls division in a time of 13 minutes. The 11-year-old finished third in the Butterfield Mile.

“The race was hard but I still kept focused,’’ Jobson said. “I really enjoy running. There are a lot of challenges you have to face but it’s enjoyable. I like the long stretches, I'm not a fan of hills as they tire me.

“I ran this course already for Saltus. We had our own race so I was used to it.”

Saltus won the overall titles for the over-13 girls and boys, while Bermuda High School for Girls were the under-13 girls champions. The boys title in that age group was won by Warwick Academy.

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