The Malta Amateur Athletics Association (MAAA) on Thursday revealed the names of 11 athletes who will be representing the country at next week's Championships for European Small States.
These will be held in Schwaan, Liechtenstein, on 7 June.
Addressing a news conference yesterday morning, in the presence of the president of European Athletics Svein Arne Hansen, Edwin Attard, MAAA president, said this will be the second edition of the championship, the first of which was held in Malta two years ago.
The 11 athletes are the following:
Luke Bezzina - 100m and 200m
Andrew Cassar Torreggiani, Ian Paul Grech, Rebecca Sare and Claire Azzopardi - Long Jump
Reece Dimech - 200m and 400m
Rachel Fitz - 100m, 200m, and relay
Janet Richard - 400m and relay
Charlotte Wingfield - 100m, 200m and relay
Sarah Busuttil and Ylenia Pace - relay
Attard praised European Athletics president Hansen for it was on the latter's insistence that such a championship got going two years ago. "After Liechtenstein, the third edition will be held in Andorra in two years' time," said Attard.
This relatively new competition means that in one year, the athletes from the Small States of Europe can aim to compete in this Championship as well as the Team Championships of Europe. "It also guarantees our athletes the possibility of international competition on a very regular basis, considering that Malta also takes part in the bi-annual Games for European Small States," added the MAAA president.
Attard made it clear that all the 11 athletes have achieved the entry standards set by European Athletics. He added: "A number of Maltese athletes were very close to obtaining those standards, but unfortunately could not be selected."
He also revealed that two other athletes - Bradley Mifsud and Luke Farrugia - will be taking part in the Mediterranean Under 23 championships being held in Jesolo, Italy, while Lisa Marie Bezzina and Charlotte Debono will be taking part in the Half Marathon at the Mediterranean Games in Tarragona, Spain.
Attard also recalled the fact that only last week, a group of Maltese athletes obtained some excellent results at the 2018 COJI Games in Catania, Sicily. "This augurs well for the future as the MAAA, in conjunction with the MOC, is working on a five-year plan which will lead up to the 2003 Games for European Small States to be held in Malta," he added.
Structural projects
Attard also announced that the MAAA, with the assistance of Sport Malta, is seeking to upgrade the facilities at the Matthew Micallef St John Stadium at Marsa.
The MAAA has held meetings with the Privatisation Unit which should lead to the issuing of a tender for the development of the Athletics Stadium.
Another project in the pipeline is the proposed High Performance Centre which could be more or less a multi-sport project.
The MAAA president said the association is now looking forward to the resurfacing of the track at the Marsa Stadium.
European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen also addressed the news conference saying that he was honoured to be in Malta once again.
He said he was happy to hear that the MAAA was doing its best to upgrade its facilities. "I am quite satisfied that 11 athletes will be representing the country in the Liechtenstein event next week. I hope to see them being able to qualify to take part in the Europan Championships in Berlin, but I am aware that it is still difficult for a country the size of Malta to have athletes qualifying at that top level.
"However, it is very important to have top level facilities to attract more youngsters to athletics," he said.
He finally said that he was convinced that Maltese athletics was moving in the right direction. "I am confident that Malta will move forward thanks to the dedication of the administration, especially current president Edwin Attard, and former MAAA president Tony Chircop," he added.