A positive indicator to emerge from the swimming season just over, which reached a climax in the last two weeks, was that some of our budding swimmers are gradually making inroads through several Age-Group records they are setting. That, at least, is a welcome sign of vitality at the base.

Despite the absence of recent national marks, the achievement of our swimmers over a period of a few days between the FISEC Games and the National Championships is to be commended.

Ten medals won in the Games, including five Age-Group records, were complemented by four other new junior marks in the championships. These, backed by a host of personal bests, are a reminder that this comparatively young sport in our island could be on the upward move.

For those who represented Malta in the FISEC Games, the championships were an extension of a peaking exercise which yielded positive results. Davina Mangion, Kyle Scerri and Francesca Paolella, all winners of three medals each, were the standard bearers, followed by Stephanie Said and Tamsyn Sciortino, who teamed up for a bronze in the 4x100 freestyle relay race.

Many of the other younger swimmers whose placings in the Games' finals suggested they are in the right groove to keep improving, also did well in last weekend's championships.

Daniel Galea and Kim Attard were in the forefront, while the others were Andrea Agius, Michael Attard Previ, Adrian Buttigieg and Paul Herrera (boys), and Kristina Camilleri, Dorisa Gaggi, Melinda Sue Micallef and Rowena Pace (girls).

Scerri's five Age-Group records, Galea's brace and one each from Paolella and Kim Attard underlined the useful work put in by these swimmers and their coaches.

These statistics, however, should not convey any false impression of a guaranteed bright future for Maltese swimming unless more work is done on all fronts and assistance is given from expected quarters.

Few records

The stark truth is that in terms of records, only the periphery has been re-touched. In fact, out of 64 junior marks, the newly-posted ones for 2004 were only 11. In the Open category four records were broken this year, two each by Neil Agius and Paolella.

Although the ball is again rolling in this respect, that is not enough in a sport where the normal turnover of records is high over a short time-frame of, say, two to three years.

By contrast, some Maltese records have withstood long years without being remotely challenged. The names of Christian Gialanze, Gail Rizzo, Christine Cachia and J.J. Tabone, to take a few examples, seem to be cemented in our record books.

The Aquatic Sports Association (ASA) is hoping that this upward graph from the base is not only maintained but extended to as wide a cross-section of swimming races as possible. The latest addition to the Championship programme this year, and in line with overseas standards, has been the 1,500 metres freestyle race for females, which was swum last Sunday.

Dr Michael Gialanze, chairman of the Swimming Board, voiced these aspirations. "It is imperative that this momentum is given a further push so that we can reap a good harvest through success in competition on the international stage, mainly the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), and through better technical performances," Gialanze remarked.

At the moment a coaching programme is being devised for the national swimming group and it is hoped that this will be finalised shortly and in good time for next year's Small Nations Games.

Gail Rizzo, in charge of Neptunes and the Malta 'B' team, is heartened by the latest results of her swimmers.

"The boys and girls are improving and besides those who set Age-Group records, there are others who are getting closer to these marks. Still there is more work to be done," she said.

Anita Mercieca Bons, the Sliema ASC coach, was equally satisfied. "Daniel Galea is the top male swimmer in my group. The others are doing fine and keep bettering their PBs. In the younger bracket Rebecca Dalli's improvement in the 100m 'Fly and 50m Breaststroke is notable."

The Sirens team, too, is having a say as was evident from the keenly contested relay events on Sunday. Coach Maria Sciberras, who is flanked by Monique Mangion, remarked that the times their swimmers are registering are in keeping with their expectations.

However, the bottom line is that no matter how willing and enthusiastic coaches and swimmers are, the sport cannot thrive unless cooperation from all is forthcoming, be it the Malta Olympic Committee, the ASA, those responsible for keeping the swimming pool in good working order and the clubs themselves, who should never regard this discipline as second fiddle, but rather complementary to waterpolo. Incidentally, the latest club to present a team is Exiles.

The possibility of continued progress in swimming exists only through a thicker base of young talent from more clubs, well-qualified teachers and coaches and more wholehearted support from every possible quarter connected with the sport.

Meanwhile, our swimmers look forward with confidence to a better season next year.