The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) celebrated Olympic Day last Sunday together with other national Olympic committees around the world, with the annual Olympic Day run.
A good number of athletes, sports administrators, as well as members of the public and several children took part in this year’s edition on the St Paul’s Bay route.
Joe Cassar, secretary general of the MOC started the event from near Islet Promenade in Bugibba.
There were three categories of distances – two and a half kilometers, five kilometers and ten kilometres.
“Move, Learn and Discover” was the motto chosen for this year’s edition which was held with the collaboration of the Malta Amateur Athletics Association.
All those who took part in the event received an official T-shirt of this year’s edition as a memento as well as a certificate of participation signed by the president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge.
1 Canoeists who took part in last Sunday’s Olympic Day Celebration at Bugibba
2 The group of children from St Michael’s School
3 Members of St Patrick Athletics Club in a commemorative photo after the event
4 The large number of Stella Maris School, Balzan students together with parents and teachers who took part in the event
5 Joe Cassar MOC secretary general gives the start to the event at Islet Promenade
6 Refreshments for the young and old alike during the runs
MIA Olympic Special – What’s On
Tomorrow on TVM at 5.15pm and on E22 at 7pm; Thursday on E22 at 10am (RPT), Friday 26 June on TVM at 10am (RPT) and Saturday 27 June on E22 at 3pm (RPT) will feature the following:
Special programme – Games of the Small States of Europe – Part III
The Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) is a biennial multi-sport event that has been organised by the National Olympic Committees of eight European small states since 1985. The participating countries are Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco and San Marino, all of which have participated since the first Games in 1985.
The flame burning throughout the XIII Games of the Small States of Europe has gone out. But it shall remain burning forever in the hearts of the thousands of people who with their performances, competitiveness and sportsmanship gave a little piece of their life to the XIII competition and for the small nations with big hearts and souls. Cyprus handed over the Games Flag to Liechtenstein – the nation that will host the XIV GSSE which may also see a debut from Montenegro.
MIA Olympic Magazine will exclusively feature a round up of what happened during the past week in Cyprus. Presenter Vicky Licari was present at the Games and will give us an in depth look at all the ups and downs of the XIII Games of the Small States of Europe. This will be the third part of a series of programmes.
MOC section – media
conference, Olympic run
The Maltese Olympic Committee held a media conference announcing the final contingent for the forthcoming Mediterranean Games, Pescara 2009. Among the speakers were MOC secretary general Joseph Cassar, director of sport Mark Cutajar and Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, MOC president.
The Olympic Day is celebrated every year around the world on the 23 June and is unlike any other holiday or national day. It belongs to no country and honours no individual. It marks no battle or victory; it signifies no triumph or defeat. It is simply a day to celebrate the dream of uniting in peace and competing in friendship and is the only annual global event of the Olympic Movement.
This year’s Olympic Day was celebrated under the theme “Move, Learn and Discover”. As part of the celebrations a number of fun runs were organised by the Maltese Olympic Committee in collaboration with the Malta Amateur Athletics Association and in conjunction with McDonald`s. These took place last Sunday.