More flexible MQSs to avoid injuries

I would be the first one to admit that track and field results in Cyprus fell short of expectations when considering the efforts made by the athletes and coaches concerned as well as Athletics Malta in conjunction with the MOC.

Some had been putting more hours in their training schedule thanks to the 20/20 scheme introduced by the KMS. Among them were 'throwers' who, unfortunately, despite their efforts did not make it to Cyprus.

The positive side of the picture, three silver and three bronze, is indeed a credit to those who won the medals but, perhaps, not enough as to justify the money and time invested by all stakeholders.

I would certainly start by hailing Nicolai Portelli for his exciting silver in the 200m. I was standing at the finish but could not really tell if he was second or third and, in fact, even the officials took a long time to issue the result.

Australia-born James Dalfonso won silver in the 400m (on Thursday) in a creditable time of 49.07 seconds. He won the medal after the semi-finals round (on Tuesday) in a time of 49.28 seconds. He again ran the third leg of the 400m relay (on Saturday).

Dalfonso, a calm person by nature, never raised one complaint and it is to his credit that he not only ran a fast heat and finished second in a relatively good time, but he also put in a great effort to help the team win bronze in the 4 x 400m relay in 3.18.57.

Carol Walsh remains formidable as ever over the longer distances.

In Nicosia, she returned the good time of 37:39.13 in the 10,000m to finish third. She was followed in by Giselle Camilleri in fourth place.

I could not help but admire Camilleri's brave attempt at the 5,000m which she ran on the Saturday, after having run the 10,000m the previous Tuesday.

She knew she was up against the same 10,000m medal winners along with a fresh runner.

Camilleri, however, tagged along and won the bronze in 18:00.43. She had better times over the same distance on other occasions but coming so soon after a tough 10,000m race, this was still a fine performance.

One wonders what her time in the 5,000m would have been had she not ran the 10,000m.

I was also overjoyed to see Diane Borg coming back to form.

Borg, who was injured just before the 2007 GSSE, had been out of competition virtually for the last two years and was only allowed to train for the 100m just two months before Cyprus. Her fifth place in 12.41 seconds may not have attracted the attention of the reporters but it has certainly been noted by those close to our sport.

I have been asked why we had so many injuries, which all seemed to have occurred within weeks before the GSSE.

I never claimed that I am an expert in this subject but in my opinion, expecting our athletes to achieve tough MQSs four weeks before the Games did not help.

I am in favour of having MQSs to be able to select the best team, however, I also believe that there are ways and ways in which one can set these limits.

Most of the MQSs that were set by the former MOC Director of Sport, were based on the third place results achieved in the previous Games.

The majority of our best athletes are sprinters and it is indeed extremely difficult for them to 'peak' some five or six weeks prior to an event and peak again for the GSSE.

They usually wait until they reach peak form, sometimes a few weeks before the date of selection, and then go all out, trying hard to qualify.

Evidently their bodies are not always strong enough for that extra effort... muscles are strained and those injured are out for four weeks.

I would suggest that instead of setting MQSs on the third place of the preceding GSSE, the standard would be placed on the fifth place but with the condition that this has to be achieved at least three times within the six-month period prior to the Games.

Also, one of these timings/results needs to be, at least, attained within eight weeks before the Games.

This would give athletes a more reasonable standard to achieve, ensure they keep in form and that they regularly participate in events run by their respective federations.

Athletes would not need risk injuring themselves to achieve the MQS and at the same time, federations would have ample time and opportunities to test readiness and anti-doping.

At present, I cannot think of a better system which would give us the possibility of selecting a valid team without running the risk of having too many injuries right when we need our athletes to compete.

Note: Anthony Chircop is Athletics Malta president.