The memory of the late Nestor Jacono, an affable and outstanding athlete both on and off the running track, has given me the opportunity to highlight the major triumph recorded by Maltese sport, namely the first Malta participation in the 1928 Olympic Games, held in Amsterdam, in waterpolo.

Understandably, very few sport adepts realise that our participation with the other 46 participating nations was also a political milestone, perhaps not fully appreciated. In those elitist games, colonies were not permitted to participate under their own flag as a fully fledged nation. In fact, a famous sprinter from British Guiana studying medicine in London was not allowed to run for his country but for Britain, placing second in the 100m.

This rule was still effective for the 1936 Berlin Games when Kitei Son, who hailed from South Korea, won the marathon but the honours went to Japan, the colonial master.

Our first Olympians, trail blazers in waterpolo for the 1928 Olympic Games were L. Darmanin, J. Nappa, V.F. Busietta, H. Bonavia, C.L. Meme Busietta, E. Magri and R.Vella.

The present national waterpolo team members are the worthy successors of the gallant team that had initiated our commitments with a 3-1 win over Luxembourg. In 1936, at the Berlin Olympics, Malta participated in waterpolo and athletics when Austin Cassar Torregiani had the honour to run against the legendary Jesse Owens in the 100m.

The participation of Jacono at the 1948 London Games in the first post-war games evokes the scintillating moment when the huge crowds exploded with shouts of “Brave Malta” on his appearance on the track for the opening ceremony.

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