Physical agility, stamina and strength. Such are three pilars that every athlete must have in order to excel.

Becoming a respected athlete is a career goal for many. One must not only be talented, but also extremely determined and possess the drive and ambition to be constantly focused. This requires self-discipline, a strong will and  a positive attitude. It requires long hours of hard training, sometimes at a very young age.

Athletes constantly look for their weak areas so as to keep on improving, and their efforts are not only phsyical but also mental. Being an athlete is a way of life, balancing nutrition, rest and self-improvement. Such a balancing act becomes extremely taxing when an athlete is also engaged in an unrelated full-time employment, as if often the case in Malta.

The integrity and character that athletes possess can be used as a perfect example for our society. Indeed, most representatives in society or chosen leaders require the agility, strength and stamina that athletes so often strive for.

My secretariat, being responsible for Sports, has worked with strength and stamina for the past year. Every single initiative that we have considered and decision that we have taken has been for the best interest of our athletes.

We have invested millions in various sports associations, and within the span of twelve months, we have completed  works on eight sports grounds. Works are in an advanced stage at the watepolo pitch project and the football pitch in Birzebbugia, investing millions and providing opportunities to residents hailing from the South. We have aided Gozitan athletes by partially financing their travels to Malta. We have ensured that sports administrators recieve adequate training.

The list is hard to summarize in a couple of lines. However, we have ensured that young talent finds ways and means of being discovered. We are working hand in hand with Local Councils, in order to ensure that every locality is equipped with an outdoor gym. No aspiring athlete should be put off due to a lack of access to gym facilities or a personal lack of financial means.

This reminds me of Gladys Tejeda, a marathon runner who grew up in the mountains of Peru. The youngest of nine children, she spent her teenage years herding animals, but even then it was clear that she could run. Whenever her mother needed an errand in town, she would send Tejeda because she returned quickest. After running in a local race, her reputation spread, and her natural talent ultimately brought her to London for the 2012 Olympics.

For all we know, there might be many such undiscovered stories in Malta and Gozo. It is our reponsibility to provide enough opportunities for such talent to surface.

Anyone who has followed the Winter Olympics in Sochi may have observed that athletes possess the special ability to get up and try again when everything seems lost. Such is an example to be followed when it comes to the Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport (KMS), that was left in profound debt and a complete lack of structure. We are now moving towards establishing its role as a regulating body. KMS shall eventually be pulled out of its debts and be made reponsible for coming up with and seeing to the implimentation of codes of ethics and sports strategies.

I shall conclude with German runner Katrin Green's comments, for they have inspired me immensely.  Katrin, who competed in the Sochi Winter Olympics, lost her leg in a mowing machine accident when she was a child.

"You must set realistic goals and never give up until you reach them". 

Dr Buontempo is a Labour MP and parliamentary secretary for research, innovation, youth and sport