Due to the overwhelming response, the entries for both BMW Malta Marathon and Half Marathon are now officially closed.
A surge in foreign applicants should not really have been surprising; incoming tourism figures have shown an increase in recent months, and the advent of cheap flights has obviously made Malta more financially attractive as a tourist destination.
There must have been a similar knock-on effect in sports travel and road running tourism... long may it continue.
The exact entry figures, along with several interesting and novel developments aimed at enhancing the Malta Marathon, will be announced by Race Director Joe Micallef in a press conference next week, but this year's events will undoubtedly boast records fields.
At the same time as the number of participants is up, the organisers are in contact with the agents of a number of African and European runners to make for a faster than ever race in the marathon.
Talent search
Last week, I discussed the Beep Test; a simple, inexpensive yet accurate way to test even non-runners for genetic physical potential.
No matter how committed I, or some other individual, or group of individuals, could be in scouring the country and testing as many youngsters as possible, there is no way we could ever hope to test everyone.
The logistics (not to mention funding) required to send out an enthusiastic and well-intentioned "search team" to many locations are just so unwieldy as to be totally impractical.
Too, when you consider it, we don't just want to do this talent search once.
It needs to be ongoing, year after year, identifying active youngsters with athletic potential and funneling them, encouraging them to take up sport.
Let's face it, if a test exists that identifies one's given measure of physiological potential, so do others I could have discussed that can identify physical talent of a different kind, suitable for other sports.
For practical purposes this Talent Search needs to be institutionalised; available everywhere, across the country, on a regular basis. And the best way to do that is to make the tests part of the school curriculum. The longest test needs no more than 15 minutes and as many as 10 individuals can be tested simultaneously.
The results will not change in the short term, so the tests need only be done once, per individual, per school year. Lack of physical development will make significant difference, so there is no need to test children under the age of 14-15 years.
The tests can be handled in each school by the respective PE teachers (who can be trained if required), and the results sent back to either the Ministry of Education, or Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport or the Maltese Olympic Committee where they can be collated and analysed by a team of sports scientists.
Funding, both public and private, can be put in place and used to remove any barriers (such as equipment costs) stopping those identified talented individuals from taking up their recommended sport.
As much as possible such individuals should be encouraged (even with financial incentives for surpassing age-related standards) to begin and stay in a training programme designed to maximise their genetic potential.
You only have to look at the impact of Sportsman of the Year Michael Mifsud on local football to understand the enormous effect sporting heroes can have on a sport.
If we are to believe world-famous running coach, Arthur Lydiard, "Champions are everywhere".
Let's go and find them!
Registration
Race registration for Maltese entrants will take place next Saturday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
As in recent years, registration will take place at the showroom of event main sponsor, BMW, in Rue D'Argens, Gzira.
Attard 10k
It's not too late to apply to take part in this race tomorrow morning. It starts from Attard Square at 9 a.m. Show up an hour before and apply there and then.
johnwalsh42195@yahoo.it