Undoubtedly the foremost athletic event in Europe for children between the age of 10 and 15 years, this event attracted a substantial number of entries from around 12 nations and some 75 athletic clubs, mostly hailing from central Europe and not surprisingly from the Czech and Slovak Republics.

This year the Maltese contingent of 19 athletes, including eight boys, exceeded in number the 14 present last year, earning this time round five medals in the sprints, jumps, relay and middle-distance events. Heroine for the Malta side was Jana Pace Cocks, earning a bronze each in the 60m and 300m sprints and a third, a silver, along with her team-mates in the 4 x 60m relay, besides placing fifth overall in the long jump.

Tamara Vella’s bronze in the Long Jump and significantly in the 800m Christian Luke Chetcuti, with his silver medal in an exact time of 2 minutes 16 seconds, had the entire contingent hoarse in support.

Indeed, in the 60m sprints, the Malta team must have struck chords of anxiety in the opposition when in the 1993 category all five girls won their heats bar one, who came in tied on time but in second place.

Then, the A final of the 60m, where no less than four girls in the Malta kit lined up at the start, was a delight to behold. Besides Jana Pace Cocks, the other finalists were Tamara Vella (5th), Yasmin Zammit (7th) and Marija Sciberras.

Julie Ann Grech contested the B Final. In the same event for girls one year older, both Annalise Vassallo and Rebecca Farrugia made it to the B Final, which Annalise eventually won. Janice Borg went one better when she qualified for the A Final, finishing seventh overall from a field of 29 entries.

Three other girls born in 1994, Daniela Gauci Borda, Martina Gerada and Nadia Tabone had their first taste of an international event and all did well in the 60m and 150m sprints, the long jump and the 800m, all placing second to fourth in their respective heats.

Besides the sole medal won by the boys, one cannot but commend the performances of Steve Camilleri in the 1992 category, who after qualifying second in his heat for the 60m finished a whisker away from the podium taking fourth place in the final.

On the following day, Steve claimed top spot in his heat in the 300m finishing eighth overall in a field 36 athletes strong. No less commendable were the exploits of Jeremy Borg who qualified for the Long Jump final, his best clearance of 5.36m earning him fifth place out of 41 entries.

In the longer 1,500m race, Robert Zammit made his international debut placing fifth overall, leaving 14 other athletes in his wake. Robert also had a go in the Long Jump and the shot putt with fair success. Francesco Borg also competed creditably in the 1,500m, in the 60m and in the 300m, with the second place in his heat giving the most satisfaction.

Silver medallist Christian also made it to the B final in the 150m where his time of 20.11 seconds earned him second place. Among the youngest participants, boys born in 1994, Daniel Vella and Jean Gauci both bettered their throws for a ‘Personal Best’ in the Ball throw, but it was left to Miguel Bugeja to break a National Record, when in his 60m heat the promising sprinter clocked 8.29 seconds.

His time in the B final was actually even better but alas, the following wind was beyond the limit. Miguel also made it to the B final in the 150m after placing first in his heat. In the final, flying out even faster from the blocks, he recorded a better time of 20.36 seconds for fifth place. In the 4 x 60m relay for boys born 1993 and 1993 the boys team did remarkably well to finish sixth overall from 23 entries when in their second series they recorded a time of 30.53 seconds to finish second.

All in all, Athletics Malta was proud of its Youth team and its overall performance but above all for the valuable experience gained in participating in an international event of such a high calibre, brought about with the participation of the Kunsill Malti Ghall-ISport, the parents of the selected athletes and the MAAA Council, who was also in charge of the team through its council members Anthony Fava and Sue Mercieca.