The Malta Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) organised a series of events to mark World Athletics Day.
On May Day, a special activity was held to introduce children to athletics. These Kids Athletics, based on a programme designed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), were enjoyed by a good number of youngsters.
Next, on May 3 and 4, 544 schoolchildren took part in the annual athletics events at the Matthew Micallef St John Athletic Stadium Marsa, with the collaboration of the Sports Promotion Unit at the Ministry of Education.
Enthusiasm and keen competition ensured that the relays, held towards the end of the two-day festival, determined the winner of the team shield.
The competition was so intense that only one point separated the first three teams representing schools for girls, with Sta Teresa College finishing first on 30 points. Sta Monica School, of Sta Venera, were second and St Thomas Moore College (Żejtun) third, both having amassed 29 points.
The team event for boys saw St Aloysius College once again emerge on top with 99 points. Stella Maris College were second on 77 points and Savio College third on 73, just one point ahead of San Anton School.
In the senior events, Sta Monica made amends for the narrow miss by their juniors when they edged out San Anton by one point, on 71. Third with 69 points were Sta Teresa College.
As part of the activities to mark the World Athletics Day, the MAAA also organised separate events for schoolchildren born in 1995. Besides awarding the winning school teams with the commemorative shields made especially for the occasion, the first three teams in each event received medals.
Each winner was presented with a lapel badge, a poster and commemorative t-shirt provided by the IAAF.
Finally, on the days designated by the IAAF to commemorate World Athletics Day, May 14 and 15, which also coincided with the National Championships, each athlete finishing first in the international youth category received the same prizes as given to the schoolchildren earlier in the month.