Athletics Malta has stepped up its preparations for next year's European Teams Championships (third league) at the Marsa racetrack, president Anthony Chircop told a media conference yesterday.
This is the first time Athletics Malta has been entrusted with the organisation of this competition.
Around 560 athletes are expected to take part in these championships, to be held at the Matthew Micallef St John track in Marsa between June 19 and 20.
The participating countries are Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, a GSSE selection, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Iceland, Macedonia, Georgia, Luxembourg, Montenegro and Malta.
Last month, Athletics Malta was granted a 49-year renewable lease for the athletics track in Marsa. The local governing body of athletics has since secured financial assistance from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to upgrade the facilities.
"When we were selected as hosts of the European Teams Championships, we quickly pinpointed those areas at the Marsa racetrack that needed improving," Chircop said. "We quickly realised that a new pole vault mat was needed.
"I wrote to IAAF president Lamine Diack who, in less than 24 hours, confirmed that the IAAF had agreed to fund the purchase of the pole vault apparatus at a cost of €20,000.
"We also plan to organise an intensive course for technical officials which will be run by a foreign instructor.
"For the European Teams Championships, we would need around 75 officials and therefore it's important that more officials are given the opportunity to improve their knowledge so that they can officiate in these championships."
Chircop stressed that through the hosting of the Euro team championships, Athletics Malta hoped to lure more youngsters to start practising field and hurdles events.
"At the moment, we only have one female athlete who has reached an adequate level in the hurdles event while in the hammer and pole vault, interest among field athletes is very low," Chircop said.
"I hope this international competition will encourage local athletes to show more interest in other events such as the 3,000 steeplechase, hurdles, pole vault and hammer."
The Athletics Malta head said the European Teams Championships will bring to Malta some top-quality athletes, including Cyprus high jumper Kyriakos Ioannou, bronze medallist at last year's Beijing Olympics, and Azerbaijan sprinter Ramil Guliyev, world junior champion in Novi Sad last summer.
For the first time, local athletes will not be forming part of the GSSE selection as Athletics Malta concluded that the time is right that to field its own team in this competition.
As a dress rehearsal for the European Teams Championships, Athletics Malta will be organising the International Invitation Meeting between April 7 and 10.
"We are expecting a good participation for the international meet. So far we have already received confirmation from teams from Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Sweden and there is also interest from Formia (Italy), the Royal Air Force Association of Great Britain and a North African country," Chircop said.
Chircop also spoke about the revamped Running League.
"The Road Running League has been renamed the Power Bar Endurance League and includes events on roads as well as cross-country," the Athletics Malta president said.
"The changes were necessary in order to attract younger runners to the event since the majority of participants in previous years were 35 and older," he said.
"The initial response to the new format has been very encouraging as participation has increased by 35 per cent compared to previous years.
"I hope that we keep this momentum going as this competition should serve as one of our main platforms to create a solid base of athletes for international competitions."