The year just ended, 2005, was indeed another successful year for local athletics in more ways than one. This was not only a memorable year for our athletes but also a productive and positive year for the Council as far as the administrative matters of the Malta Amateur Athletic Association are concerned.

Although the highlight of the year was the highly successful participation of the MAAA in the athletics competition of the 2005 Games of the Small States of Europe held in Andorra, a substantial number of athletes participated in various international competitions as well as in national competitions organised by the MAAA at the Marsa Track and other venues.

During the year, the MAAA organised no fewer than 16 Track and Field meetings, including the national championships, and ten Road races. Apart from assisting in the organisation of some 20 other Road Running events which were organised during the year by athletic clubs and other organisations.

The organisation of Cross Country races held completely on a grass surface at the Marsa Sports Grounds, (thanks to the cooperation of the Royal Malta Golf Club, the Archery Association and the KMS), added more colour and interest in these events among local athletes.

As already stated our athletes once again managed some highly creditable results both locally and abroad, among which were the performances of Rachid Chouhal in the Jumps, where he twice broke the Long Jump record, which now rests at 7.71 metres and which will certainly take some beating.

Other national records at the Marsa worthy of mention were established by both the men and the women 4 x 100m relay teams in the run-up to the GSSE, Darren Francis Gilford in the 100m and a number of other athletes in the lower categories. One particular record that merits a mention had been standing 30 years and is now proudly possessed by Andy Grech of San Andrea School. This was in the Youth Boys Long Jump where this promising lad first cleared 6.01metres and finally 6.03m later on in the season.

Undoubtedly the MAAA registered athletes did us all proud even away from our shores.

International competitions

In 2005, the Malta AAA participated in various international championships or games including the European Indoor Champions in Madrid, the European Cup (Second League) held in Istanbul, the Mediterranean Games in Almeria, Spain, the European Youth Olympic Festival in Italy, the European Junior Championships in Lithuania, the IAAF World Championships that were held in Helsinki, the GSSE Games of Andorra and the World Youth Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

Among the reports of these participations that were given prominence in the media the following fully merit another mention.

Youth Athletics – “Jeux des Iles 2005”

These was perhaps the most successful participation by a youths athletic squad ever, and indeed the most successful participation of the year, considering that all five athletes, competing at such a prestigious event as the “Island Games”, returned to Malta with medals around their neck and with a gold in the 4 x 400m relay to boot.

At these Games in Crete, Diane Borg established a national record of 12.31 in her 100m heat placing second. Then in the 200m final she finished third and won the bronze. In the 800m, Marilyn Schembri placed second, winning the silver medal in a fantastic new national record (for both youths and juniors) time of 2:15.27. The event was won by a girl from Guadalupe in 2:15.04.

The gold medal for the local team came in the 4x400m when the squad composed of Madeleine Vassallo, Renita Agius, Marylyn Schembri and Diane Borg managed to beat the opposition of the teams from Guadalupe and Sicily to win in a new national record time of 3:59.21.

Another second place and the silver medal went to the 4 x 100 relay team composed of Sarah Muscat, Renita Agius, Madeleine and Diane Borg in the fine time 49.66seconds. All five girls are coached by Mark Farrugia who has good reason to be satisfied with the return on his hard work.

IAAF Fourth World Youth Championships in Marrakech, (Morocco)

In the heat of this North African country it was not generally expected that our athletes could produce a scintillating performance.

For the third consecutive time Malta’s youth was participating in its own right having attained the qualifying standard set by the world body.

Indeed had Malta taken out all the participants who achieved these goals our team composition would have trebled. As it was Alistair Bezzina took part in a tough 800m heat attaining a high placing overall. Diane Borg continued to shine in this her best athletic year yet. Running in the midday heat in the fifth qualifier, she managed a fourth placing and most important of all, she smashed the four year standing record for the 100m Open Women when she stopped the clock on 12.11seconds. Indeed this performance probably ranks in stature as the best performance ever on foreign soil by a Maltese athlete. It was certainly among the most prestigious.

Euro Indoor Championships – Madrid (Spain)

For this high level competition the MAAA thought it fit to participate with three athletes.

On the basis of his showing in the jumps, Rachid Chouhal was picked to participate in the Long Jump event, while Darren Francis Gilford, having established himself as the best sprinter in Malta, was chosen to do the 60m sprint, as was Therese Mallia, the most outstanding senior woman. Despite having no tradition in indoor competition, our athletes came away with credit in that Therese Mallia managed a new national record for the event registering a time of 7.96 seconds. The outstanding achievement however, was that recorded by Gilford, when he placed 28th overall, in a European affiliation of 49 countries. Had he equalled his own national record of 6.76 seconds established in Birmingham the year before in the worlds, Darren would have qualified for the semi-finals in a race that once again pitted him against Mark Lewis Francis of Great Britain, who came in second to our hero’s fourth placing. Darren just missed this historical feat by two-hundredths of a second when he stopped the clock on 6.79 seconds.

(to be continued)