This week Athletics Malta embarks on a very busy schedule of international activity that extends all through the summer to culminate with the World Athletics Cham-pionships in Moscow.

Appropriately, the first engagement commences with the younger talent, taking part in a competition of prestige that brings together the youth – 15- to 17-year-olds – from islands hailing not only from Europe but from as far afield as the Caribbean.

This year the Island Games, between today and next Saturday, will be hosted by Corsica in the Mediterranean and the Maltese Olympic Committee invited the MAAA to take part with an athletics team which will consist of seven boys and four girls.

In Corsica, Malta will also be represented in gymnastics, swimming and judo.

Although athletes were hampered by other commitments to do with their education, performances obtained in recent national championships played a major part in the choice, as was the consistency displayed so far in the track and field season.

As in past editions, Team Malta will be facing stiff competition but nonetheless, the MOC are expecting to add to the medal tally collected thus far.

To highlight the qualities of individuals in the athletics group would not fare well with the rest but not to mention that two of the girls will be proceeding to the Luxem-bourg GSSE later this month speaks volumes for the quality of the selection.

Indeed, apart from the traditional entry in the sprints, Athletics Malta will be fielding excellent talent in the middle and longer distance events as well as in the throws, in which the team will be sporting the older youngsters.

The squad is composed of Nadine Gatt, Nicole Gatt, Janet Richard and Laura Sammut and Luke Camilleri, Andreas and Matthias Cristiano, Luke Farrugia, Samuel Grech, Nicholas Mallia and Bradley Mifsud.

Accompanying MAAA officials are Anthony Fava and Stephen Spiteri.