Long and successful it may have been, but the athletics Track and Field season in Malta still has a final competition to look forward to with – great, not humble – expectations.
This competition, far away from our shores in the heartland of Europe, has always brought the greatest satisfaction to Athletics Malta because it concerns our younger generation, where results at this category have always been at par with that of other youngsters hailing from much larger countries, where the talent is drawn from populations that dwarf our own.
The event is the European Kids Athetics Games, to be held in the Czech Republic and now entering the sixth edition.
Over 1,000 young athletes hailing from the best clubs of 15 European countries, among which Russia, England, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, the Baltic States and others, but also from many clubs from Slovakia and naturally the Czech Republic itself, are taking part.
Malta will be represented by 14 athletes aged 13 to 15 years of age, each of whom to compete with youngsters born in the same year as their own.
In the sprints, Eric Borg Saywell, Andrea Cristiano, Nicholas Mallia and Samuel Zammit will carry the flag for the boys, while Nadine and Nicole Gatt, Gabriella Grima, Isabelle Pace, Destiny Vella Busuttil and Robyn Zammit will compete among the girls.
Most of these athletes will also be competing in the Long Jump, as well as at the Ball Throw, Shot and the Javelin. However, in these field events and in fact in their specialty, Malta will also be well served by Bradley Mifsud and Nigel Fleri Soler.
Meantime, at the middle distance events, Kurt Dalli and Gabriella Saliba also aim to do well, as have done other athletes chosen for these events in the past.
To continue in its quest to develop its youth, Athletics Malta will also be participating in the inaugural 100m hurdles event, besides striving to defend its record to date in the relays, where both teams underwent specialised training under the guidance of relays coach and Malta’s most represented athlete Mario Bonello, who was so successful at this specialty at the Games for the Small States of Europe.
For these Games ,the youngsters will be under the charge of the general secretary of the association Edwin Attard, and its Communications Coordinator, Anthony Fava.