Malta youths in Wrexham

With a timely intervention from the Kunsill Malti għall-iSport, Athletics Malta managed to continue pursuing with its youth policy and afford an opportunity of overseas competition to its younger members.

This year the venue chosen was Wales. The visit was a renewal of the friendship forged with Geoffrey Ward, who in 2002 held an appointment in Malta as Athletics Co-Ordinator, a post instrumental in introducing the association's current youth policy model.

The 11 Maltese youths, whose ages ranged from 12 to 17, were under the experienced leadership of Council Member Valerie Farrugia and track official Frederick Borg. They were part of the 200 or so competing at the one-day Wrexham Games.

As on other occasions this past decade, the youngsters proved to be as good as their counterparts at this level. In all, the selection achieved 16 podium finals, including four first places.

Nicole Gatt (U-12) returned home with three medals, two silver and a bronze, while the four outright winners were Ramona Vassallo (U-17) discus, Nadine Aquilina (U-15) shot, Julian Sammut (U-15) 1,500m and Ian Paul Grech (U-17) long jump.

The other athletes in the party were Eric Borg Saywell and Destinay Vella Busuttil (U-13), Sasha Cilia, Jana Pace Cocks and Michael Anastasi (U-17) and junior category athlete Luke Gauci.

A senior athlete, Mildred Atanasio, also accompanied the group and won a silver in a 200m race.

In fact, many of the Maltese had to compete with older athletes outside their normal age group as in the UK categories are classified in accordance with the school year-ending at the end of September. The Maltese version follows that of the international body, as at year's end.

The Maltese contingent, besides being presented to the Mayor and Mayoress of Wrexham, were also their guests at a reception to mark the occasion.

While in Wales, the group took the opportunity to book a cultural tour of the landmarks of the country and its environs, a feature at these occasions, realised, as in past years, through the association that Athletics Malta enjoys with its main sponsor Air Malta.