The first initiatives for the formation of the Malta Amateur Athletic Association were taken by a Mr. J. Gracey, who according to an article which appeared in “The Daily Malta Chronicle – 21 January, 1929”, was the founder of the association. The first meeting was held at 152, Strada Zecca, (Old Mint Street), Valletta, on the 29 November, 1928.

However, according to writings left to us by the late Louis A. Grasso, himself a former President of the MAAA, “There are records to show that in 1877, the English province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Fathers) College at St. Julian’s, included in their teaching curriculum, athletics, as one of their sports disciplines, so much so that there is evidence to show that the first athletic meeting was held on the 14 May, 1888.” Athletics is indeed one of the oldest sports practised in Malta.

Over the years the sport has progressed, the training methodology and skills have changed, the athletes themselves are stronger and faster, but the principles of ‘Athletics’ have remained the same.

Athletics is still one of the safest and fairest sports practised today. Modern electronic equipment developed to measure and judge athletic events have seen to that. Even here in Malta we use the ‘Photo finish system’ to judge the winners and would- be cheaters at the ‘start’ are recalled by a sophisticated electronic ‘False-start system’.

Main objective

The main objective of the MAAA is to raise the standard of athletics in Malta so that when local athletes compete abroad they register creditable performances.

The standard of athletics has improved due to a combination of several factors. The dedication of the athletes themselves, the professional preparation provided by the coaches, courses for technical officials, the ever increasing number of athletes, the advice and assistance of foreign coaches and, last but not least, the installation of the synthetic rubber track.

The association gives the utmost importance to the development of “athletic coaching”. It first started holding IAAF Level I courses here in Malta, which were always sponsored by “Olympic Solidarity” through the intervention of the Malta Olympic Committee.

Some four years ago the association started sending its best qualified coaches to the IAAF Development Centre in Nairobi where they study and obtain their Level II Certificate in a particular discipline, such as “Sprints” or “Jumps”. The IAAF has, more recently started its Level III Certificate and our Level II Certificate Coaches, who always obtained Credit ratings in examinations, were among the first to be selected to participate in these courses.

Serious consideration is given to the training programme of our elite athletes preparing for major competitions such as the GSSE and the Commonwealth Games. Some of these are sent to “specialised training camps” abroad where in such cases their expenses are subsidised under the “Elite Athletes” scheme of the Malta Olympic Committee.

One can safely say that this ongoing partnership, which is actually documented, signed and scrupulously monitored by both the association and the MOC itself, has been giving the desired results. We measure the progress of our sport not only by the medals won by our athletes at such games as the Games of the Small States of Europe but, perhaps more important, by the number of new records that our athletes establish year after year.