Richardson Races to Victory as Grantham Runners Impress in Malta
A total of 34 members of Grantham Running Club travelled to the island of Malta to take part in the club’s annual international race at the La Valette Marathon events.
On Sunday 22nd March 2026, over 5,000 runners participated, experiencing 7,000 years of history as they ran along the stunning Mediterranean coastline and through the historic capital city of Valletta. With distances ranging from the full marathon to 5km, there was something for everyone among the Grantham Running Club participants.
Starting in the coastal town of Sliema, five club members took on the half marathon. The route followed the coastline into Valletta before tackling several challenging climbs up towards Fort Elmo and Fort Angelo, finishing in Birgu. These demanding inclines made the results even more impressive.
First home for the club in the half marathon was Matthew Atter in an excellent time of 1:34:43. He was followed by Simon Smith (1:48:06), Sam Dodwell (1:51:01), and Jaimie Lord (1:58:54). Belinda Baker finished in a time of 2:24:02, as the sole female GRC runner to take on the distance.
The 10km event proved especially popular, with 29 club members taking part. The route was equally challenging, beginning along the Valletta waterfront, climbing through the city, and finishing along the Vittoriosa waterfront in Birgu.
Leading the way for the club (and everyone else including the lead motorbike), taking first place overall and setting a new course record, was Jake Richardson, who delivered a superb performance to win the 10km in 32:57.
Russell Whittaker was second home for GRC, also securing first place in his age category with a time of 38:40.
Holly Wragg was the first female finisher for the club, completing the course in an impressive 48:42 and achieving a 70-second personal best. Nicci Whittaker followed as second female finisher in 51:38, recording a significant personal best by 6 minutes and 38 seconds.
Other notable performances included Alison Clark, who also achieved a 70-second personal best, and Ros Sadler, who continues her strong form by recording her fastest 10km time since 2019.
Despite the challenging course and steep inclines, club members delivered outstanding performances across all distances. Runners were rewarded with bespoke medals and t-shirts and enjoyed celebrating their achievements while exploring the local area and sampling Maltese cuisine and nightlife.
Half Marathon full results
Matthew Atter: 01:34:43, Simon Smith 1:48:06, Sam Dodwell 1:51:01, Jaimie Lord 1:58:54, Belinda Baker 2:24:02.
10K full results
Jake Richardson 32:57, Russel Whittaker 38:40, Sam Jepson 46:08. Kev Wallace 47:19, Cameron Hoggan 47:39, Holly Wragg 48:42, Nicci Whittaker 51:38, Stuart Baty 51:57, Sylv Hull 54:02, Zoe Wragg 54:16, Matthew Sadler 54:20, Chris Smith 56:26, Simon Allsopp 56:00, Kate Marshall 56:56, Ros Sadler 56:57, Agnes Van Rheinberg 57:14, Alison Clark 57:42, Martin Carter 58:18, Paul Jepson 1:02:11, Nick Thorpe 1:05:28, Briarny Hayes 1:06:08, Wendy Smith 1:07:41, Judi Allsopp 1:07:56, Tracey Gell 1:08:01, Yvette Taylor 1:10:58, Simon Hartley 1:13:41, Claire Smith 1:14:15, Fraser Marshall 1:15:48, Jenny Wren 1:18:32.
Report by Nicci and Russel Whittaker