Walsh recovers in time as Colbourn backs girls to shine

Athletics and swimming are the two compulsory sport in GSSE.

As in all big-time Games, these two disciplines, enormously popular in world sport, offer the biggest number of medals at stake, making competition tight, tense and also controversial at times.

The Maltese selectors had to deal with all sorts of problems ahead of next week's Games in Cyprus before finalising the list of swimmers and track and field athletes in Team Malta.

Athletics Malta, in particular, was hampered by a growing list of injuries to their most established performers as the ASA Swimming Board saw prized assets Ryan Gambin and Madeline Scerri retiring from the squad unexpectedly while butterfly ace Angela Galea has also decided to quit.

Sprinters Rashid Chouhal, Diane Borg, Charlene Attard and Xuereb twins Francesca and Martina were among those who had a difficult preparation.

Carol Walsh also struggled for fitness this year. Luckily, however, the veteran long-distance runner managed to recover in time for a record ninth successive GSSE.

Walsh's participation in Cyprus is a major boost for Team Malta. She has always been an inspiration to the others, collecting an enviable haul of medals in her career.

But after so many years on the road what makes the 45-year-old still going?

"It's my love for the sport," Walsh told The Times.

"Sport is an integral part in my life. My day is not complete if I don't dedicate a couple of hours for training. If I don't run, I go cycling but I have to do some kind of activity.

"After so many years my hunger for success is still there and at the end of the day that's my main drive... it keeps me going."

In Cyprus, Walsh will take part in the 10,000 metres. She is a prominent figure in GSSE but maintains that past victories alone are no guarantee of another medal-winning performance.

"Since my first appearance in the Games, way back in 1993, I won 12 medals," Walsh maintained.

"I have fond memories of each and every one of them but in Cyprus I will have to be at my best to produce a strong challenge.

"One thing that encourages me most is the fact that I clocked my qualifying time just a few days after my recovery was complete.

"Since then, I have been training consistently well and hopefully on race day I will be able to add another medal to my collection."

Pool matters

At the pool, preparations for this year's GSSE have been far from plain-sailing.

With funds for the national team delayed, the established swimmers left it late to try and reach the qualifying standard set by the MOC.

As a result Team Malta will only have a girls' squad in Cyprus as the boys, also hit by Gambin's forfeit, are now out of contention.

Nicky Muscat and Nicole Cremona were the only ones to obtain the Minimum Qualifying Standard as the 4x200m relay team was given the nod to make the trip despite missing the qualifying time by a whisker.

National coach Andy Colbourn said he was pleased with the effort put in by his swimmers given the difficult circumstances they found themselves in during the build-up to the Games.

"I think that considering all the problems we had this year, the girls have done extremely well," Colbourn said.

"The time limits set by the MOC were difficult to achieve but both Nicole and Nicky showed tremendous effort to lower their personal best times by two or three seconds to qualify.

"This is a very young group we have but need more support to be able to maximise their potential."

Asked on his expectations for the Games, Colbourn was quite frank in his assessment.

"We have kept a track record of the times set by the other swimmers in the GSSE and it's clear that the level elsewhere is improving really fast," Colbourn said.

"However, the fact that our swimmers achieved remarkable times against all odds is making me feel more confident. Davina Mangion could also make the podium in the 200m 'fly this year, given that Angela Galea will not compete.

"There are no clear-cut medal chances but I'm still confident of one podium finish or two in Cyprus."

Athletics team
M. Bonello, R. Chouhal, J. D'Alfonso, M. Debono, K. Farrugia, A. Grech, M. Herrera, N. Portelli; C. Attard, D. Borg, G. Camilleri, C. Pace, A. Pace, A. Mangion, D. Micallef, L. Scerri, M. Sciberras, M. Xuereb, F. Xuereb, C. Walsh.

Swimming team
N. Cremona, T. Pace, N. Muscat, D. Mangion, M.S. Micallef.