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Maltese Athlete Secures Ironman World Championship Slot

Maltese Athlete Secures Ironman World Championship Slot
Jun 11 2024 Share

Rudolph Agius, a dedicated Maltese triathlete, recently excelled at the Ironman Hamburg European Championship, finishing in 9:36:17. His performance, including a 58:23 swim, 4:57:45 bike ride, and 3:30:31 run, secured 27th place in his age group (45-49) out of 337 competitors, earning him a slot in the Ironman World Championship.

Agius, active in triathlons for 15 years, specializes in full Ironman events (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, 42.2 km run) and has also competed in Ironman 70.3 events (1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride, 21 km run). His rigorous training includes 25 km of swimming, 600 km of cycling, and 105 km of running weekly.

He has qualified for the Ironman World Championship four times: 2018 Frankfurt, 2019 Barcelona, 2023 Lanzarote, and 2024 Hamburg, competing thrice in Kona, Hawaii, and once in Nice, France.

Additionally, he qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2016 and 2019.

Agius holds national records in both full Ironman (9:00:53 in Spain) and Ironman 70.3 (4:06:04 in Bahrain) distances. His achievements highlight his perseverance and dedication, inspiring the Maltese triathlon community. He will represent Malta at the Ironman World Championships in October 2024.

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Tallinja Extend Summer Routes To Maltese Beaches

Tallinja Extend Summer Routes To Maltese Beaches
Jun 11 2024 Share

Malta Public Transport is announcing the updated summer bus schedules effective from last Sunday 9th June, 2024, with further adjustments as of Sunday 7th July, 2024.

The adjustments include route extensions and frequency changes to better serve residents and tourists during the peak summer months.

Several routes will see extensions to popular summer destinations: Route 49 (Valletta to Għadira) will now extend to Armier Bay and operate until late evening; Route 74 (Valletta to Żurrieq) will extend to Blue Grotto; Routes 109/109A (Siġġiewi to Baħrija) will extend to Lapsi Bay; and Routes 101/101B (Mġarr to Ċirkewwa) will extend to Ġnejna Bay.

Adjustments in frequency will also be implemented. Route 43 (Valletta to Naxxar) will have its frequency reduced to every 60 minutes in July due to the end of the scholastic year.

Similar frequency reductions during peak times will affect Route 61 (Valletta to Ħaż-Żebbug) from 15 to 20 minutes, Route 72 (Valletta to Qrendi) and Route 73 (Valletta to Żurrieq) from 20 to 30 minutes, and Route 90 (Valletta to Ħaż-Żabbar) from 20 to 60 minutes.

Conversely, several routes will see an increase in frequency to accommodate higher demand. Route 212 (Sliema to Buġibba) will have additional services starting in June with further increases in July. Route 221 (Buġibba to Ċirkewwa) will adjust from 30 to 20 minutes in June and further to 15 minutes in July. Route 222 (Sliema to Ċirkewwa) will increase from 20 to 15 minutes during peak times. Both Route 223 (Buġibba to Għajn Tuffieħa) and Route 225 (Sliema to Għajn Tuffieħa) will change from 60 to 20 minutes during peak times, while Route 322 (Mġarr to Marsalforn) will adjust from 90 to 45 minutes. Route 53 (Valletta to Rabat) will operate every 30 minutes almost all day during the summer.

Additionally, Route X1A (Ċirkewwa to University of Malta) and Route 150 (Lascaris to MCAST) will be suspended in July due to the end of the scholastic year.

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Service Dogs Visit KSU-PWS Study Area To Reduce Stress

Service Dogs Visit KSU-PWS Study Area To Reduce Stress
Jun 11 2024 Share

Service dogs were taken to visit the KSU-PWC Common Room yesterday for the Night Time Study Area to make exam season all the more stress free.

Students were treated to the company of adorable dogs as they continue their studies – but who could focus with these adorable canines among them?!

A few treats and scratches and all the students were considerably much less stress free.

#MaltaDaily

24 Year Old Cypriot YouTuber Elected To European Parliament

24 Year Old Cypriot YouTuber Elected To European Parliament
Jun 11 2024 Share

Fidias Panayiotou, a popular YouTuber from Cyprus, has been elected as an independent MEP to the European Parliament.

Known for his eccentric online antics, including attempting to hug 100 celebrities and spending a week in a coffin, the 24-year-old boasts over 2.6 million subscribers.

Despite his lack of political experience, Panayiotou garnered 19.4% of the vote, making it the third-largest tally. He described his election as a “miracle” and urged political parties to modernize and listen to the public.

Panayiotou’s candidacy aimed to inspire youth political engagement rather than win. He previously faced backlash for a YouTube video where he dodged train fares and a hotel breakfast bill in Japan.

Celebrating his victory in Nicosia’s Eleftheria Square, he proclaimed, “We are writing history. Not just in Cyprus, but internationally.”

Declared as a candidate in January, Panayiotou admitted on Alpha Cyprus TV to having no prior voting or political knowledge, motivated by a desire to challenge the “nerds” in Brussels. The election saw a voter turnout of nearly 59%, attributed in part to the “Fidias factor.”

Panayiotou received 40% of votes from the 18-24 age group and 28% from the 25-34 group. He was one of six Cypriot MEPs elected, coming third behind DISY and AKEL.

#MaltaDaily