MOC with plenty of work to do

Team Malta athletes returned home yesterday from the Cyprus 2009 Games to the customary warm welcome by relatives and friends at the airport.

A sixth placing overall with a tally of 21 medals - three gold, five silver and 13 bronze - was a rather disappointing outcome for the Maltese Olympic Committee who had high hopes of breaking into the top four during the weeklong festival in Cyprus.

This was Malta's worst GSSE showing since the 1999 Games in Liechtenstein when our athletes won a total of 20 medals, albeit that haul included four gold compared to the three obtained in 2009.

Shooting and sailing were again Malta's chief sources of success in Cyprus as these two sporting disciplines yielded two gold, two silver and two bronze medals with William Chetcuti confirming his high status in Maltese sport by winning his third successive gold medal in the Games.

Young sailors Thomas Zammit Tabona and Maya Podesta did the country proud after winning gold and silver respectively. The same goes for the women's basketball team who clinched the gold medal with a perfect record of three wins from three games.

Arguably, the biggest disappointment in these Games for Malta came in judo where Marcon Bezzina and Joanna Camilleri failed to defend the gold medals they won in Monaco two years ago while the men's basketball team struggled on their return to GSSE competition.

In track and field, a growing injury list hindered Malta's medal chances but credit is due to veterans Carol Walsh and Giselle Camilleri for leaving their mark on the long-distance races while Nicolai Portelli achieved success in the sprinting events after landing two silver medals and one bronze.

A big positive for Maltese sport in Cyprus has been the emergence of a number of upcoming athletes who look to have a bright future.

Young gymnasts Adriana Zammit, Kirsty Caruana and Nicole Pace shone in Cyprus, winning Malta's first ever medals in women's gymnastics while Daniel Bajada had an encouraging debut in table tennis as the 14-year-old managed three victories.

In tennis, Malta's relative success owes much to upcoming players Kim Cassar and Elaine Genovese who put the country back in the medals zone with their bronze in the doubles.

Cassar looks to have the talent to develop into a tennis champion for Malta but it's crucial that the 16-year-old continues to be exposed to international competition on a regular basis to maintain her progress.

However, there are a number of disciplines where a wider base of participation is needed to improve the standards of the current crop of athletes.

In swimming, in particular, there is a nucleus of youngsters who have demonstrated their potential by setting two new national records in Cyprus. However, more newcomers must be attracted to swimming, the sport that offers the highest number of medals in the GSSE.

Given the modest level of competition in Malta, it's important that the Swimming Board is given the resources to make sure that its swimmers, boys and girls, have the opportunity to hone their skills with participation in international events.

The presence of high-quality athletes of Maltese descent is essential to help local athletes raise their standards. However, the Maltese Olympic Committee must ensure that these athletes complement rather than hamper the development of our emerging talent.

The likes of Simon Gerada (table tennis) and Roberta Brincat Thoresen (basketball) have been great role models for upcoming athletes in their respective sport and the MOC must ascertain that future foreign-based athletes put their expertise at the service of their younger counterparts.

I also firmly believe that Malta's participation in the GSSE should not be our sole focus but rather the launchpad for further success at more prestigious events such as the Mediterranean Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

To this end, financial assistance for sport like clay shooting and sailing, which have not been included in the programme for the next GSSE in Liechtenstein, must be sustained. Our shooters and sailors have been Malta's greatest ambassadors in international sport for many years and there must be continuity in so far as their training is concerned.

The Cyprus GSSE are behind us now but the MOC must make a thorough analysis of the athletes' technical preparation and make sure that past mistakes are not repeated.

Liechtenstein 2011 is two years away and there is ample time to work diligently and build a strong team that can push Malta to greater heights.