Gold for Azzopardi in long jump

For the fourth consecutive year, the Malta Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) was represented at the Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Meeting, in London on Sunday, by a group of young athletes. The contingent was composed of eight girls and four boys.

This was another successful venture where the outstanding performance was achieved by Maria Azzopardi. She managed a podium position in all three U-13 events she signed up for.

Azzopardi clocked 13.9 seconds, in the 100m, and 29.2 in the 200m, to win bronze medals. The Starmax athlete then cleared 4.08 metres in the long jump to clinch gold.

Denise Vella, of La Salle, repeated the success she had last year after finishing third in the 800m in 2:40.4. Another bronze medal was won by Pembroke Athleta runner Marouska Cutajar in the 1,500m. In the race for U-15s, she registered a time of 5:17.5.

This year's meeting was very well patronised, giving more meaning to the placings won by the Maltese youngsters. The standard of participation was high. It is sufficient to state that the winner of the U-17 100m boys' race had a 10.9, a fast time by any standard and enough to justify the MAAA's policy to send its upcoming members to this competition.

Certificates of proficiency for finishing high were received by Martina Xuereb (fourth in the 200m and fifth in 100m), Adriana Camilleri (fourth in long jump) and Matthew Croker (200m), Christian Formosa (1,500m) and Francesco Caruana (long jump) who all finished fifth.