SAC's Mathlete Eric Borg Saywell
After our first sport-related article on Sciberras’ career in badminton, it was now time for our second year Maths’ student, Eric Borg Saywell, to share with us his experience as Malta’s emerging talent in Athletics.
On asking him about his choice of sport, Borg Saywell takes on a different approach to that of Sciberras for badminton, as he admits that athletics was more of a genetic code passed down to him through his father, a renowned Maltese athlete, also a national triple jump record holder for most of his own sports career. In fact, he started training in athletics at the tender of age of seven, where he first joined the Pembroke Athleta Club.
Borg Saywell further explains how he now specializes in two Athletic Track Disciplines: the 100M & 200M Sprints, as well as one Athletic Field Discipline: the Long-Jump – a discipline which he had to temporarily stop as he is currently undergoing recovery from a severe ankle injury, as well as several other minute groin injuries which he suffered along his athletic career. Because of this, back in the season of 2008/2009, Borg Saywell, started running for the Allcomers Aloysians Club, where he has been receiving constant intensive training and preparation for local and international competitions, under the guidance of both his father, who is a qualified Sprint Coach, as well as Mario Bonello, a Maltese athlete and coach, sought after by many for his holistic and intensive athletic training.
He points out that athletics is quite a difficult and delicate sport in terms of the training and the recovery needed between sessions. During preseason, which Borg Saywell describes as the pedament of the whole season, the athlete aims to improve fitness, strength and conditioning through long runs and circuit training. During the season then, the instensity of the training decreases focusing mostly on speed, strength and power. A healthy, balanced diet is also essential for success in the sport, emphasising how his daily diet is based mostly on organic greens and fruits, wholegrain food and fat-free food.
This Aloysian has managed to place and grasp titles in most of the few local competitions held annually, winning the ‘Athlete of the Year Award’ three consecutive times thus far. And yet, Eric Borg Saywell cannot be minimally described as just a local talent – throughout his sports career, he has managed to engrave his name in the sports history books of other countries several times, with his most prestigious titles ever being showcased during the European Kids Athletic Games held in Brno Czech Republic, back in 2010. Here, Borg Saywell won two gold medals in the 150m Sprint and Long-Jump, as well as a silver medal in the 60m sprint. Despite competing against the best athletes in Europe, he also managed to clench the title of ‘Best Athlete of the Competition in U/14’. This was just one drop of an ocean of foreign competitions he has participated in, his common destinations usually including: Italy, Austria, Sicily, Hungary and Wales all of which have seen him qualifying for the finals and winning trophies and medals.
But to what does Borg Saywell owe his success? Determination, perseverance as well as, constant training were surely part of the recipe. Up until last year, when he was under the coaching of Mr Mario Bonello, he used to train 8 times a week for sessions that varied between 2 hours and 3.5 hours in duration. Quite humbly, this athlete doesn’t take all the credit for his success. All enthusiastic, he explains how advantageous it is to have supportive parents and that he’s lucky in the aspect of having a father who can coach him on an individual basis, allowing him to balance studies and sport commitments alike, as well as a mother who takes care of his nutrition on a day-to-day basis. He then adds that much like any other lifestyle, the athletic lifestyle poses certain challenges to those who choose to follow it as required, yet still show a positive attitude towards it:
“Training alone for hours is definitely not fun but when your aims and desires are high, one would do anything to reach them. Last year, I trained with a squadron and enjoyed every bit of the company of the athletes, but I had to continue my training, solo. It’s also quite difficult trying to balance school and friends when training is such a priority in my life, but with time management everything is possible.”
In closing our interesting interview with this Aloysian, we asked him about what he dreams to achieve and get out of this sport. His answer was worthy of a real Aloysian Athlete as he combined his dream to an important life lesson sports teach to athletes, and that The Voice would like to encourage all our readers to apply, to their own lifestyles:
“It’s every sprinters dream to run the 100m in under 10 seconds. I cannot say I will do it, but I do want to become the best version of myself gradually over the years – that’s what competition is really all about after all – becoming better than the person you were yesterday.” Jacqueline Grech Licari
