It will be a packed athletics weekend for all ages at the Matthew Micallef St John in Marsa as the season approaches its end. For younger athletes, the National Championships will be the highlight of this gruelling season while the seniors will have one final opportunity, through the second Challenge meeting of the season, to finalise their preparations for the National Championships due on 22nd and 23rd August.
The weekend will comprise no less than 45 events, 22 on Saturday and 23 on Sunday.
The seniors Challenge meeting will mark the return of the long-distance runners on the track for a 5000m race. A number of local athletes have performed admirably during the first road races following the resumption of sporting activities and it will be interesting to see if such performances can be replicated on the tartan track.
Among the younger athletes, the events held during the past week gave some indications of favourites for podium finishes. Among the Under 16s, Matthew Galea Soler, Gabriel Petroni (La Salle) and Yan Vella from Pembroke Athleta are sure bets for the sprints, while Julian Zarb (La Salle), Matthew Curmi (Savio) and Noah Portelli from Mosta Secondary School can all aspire for a place on the podium on the longer distances.
Juliette Spina from San Anton, Jade Borg and Kay Lee Testa from Pembroke are the names to watch in the girls category.
The U14 boys the duo Thomas Grech, Lyon Falzon from La Salle and the Starmax Shoemake female twins in the short sprints are dubbed for Gold. Mireya Bugeja, fresh from her best overall performance in the 1200m is a natural choice for a repeat strong performance.
In the U12 boys, the Pembroke starlets Elai Borg and Jamie Azzopardi start as the favourites to fight for gold whilst confirming their supremacy in the category. Thea Grech (La Salle) and Kristina Azzopardi (Pembroke Athleta) start as favourites among the girls.
A full programme of events is available below. The presentation ceremony of the awards will be held on Monday 3rd August at 18hrs at the Matthew Micallef St John Track.
While entrance will be free of charge throughout the weekend, the MAAA is informing the public that access to Marsa track from Aldo Moro street is no longer possible and should be directed to the Park and Ride Qormi via Marsa Sports Club. Drivers are encouraged to park in the ditch. There shall be signs for directions.
Programme of Events
Saturday 1st August 2020
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 1500 Steeplechase | 16:30 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ Hurdles | 16:40 |
| ALL | F | SM | Mens’ Hurdles | 16:45 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ Discus | 16:50 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ Discus | 16:50 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ Long Jump | 16:55 |
| U12 | M | U12B | Boys’ Long Jump | 16:55 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 75 Hurdes | 17:00 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 80 Hurdles | 17:10 |
| U12 | F | U12G | Girls’ 60 | 17:20 |
| U12 | M | U12B | Boys’ 60 | 17:30 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s Hammer | 17:30 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s Hammer | 17:30 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ Long Jump | 17:40 |
| U12 | F | U12G | Girls’ Long Jump | 17:40 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s 100 | 17:45 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 100 | 17:55 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 100 | 18:05 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s 100 | 18:20 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ Discus | 18:20 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ Discus | 18:20 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 800 | 18:30 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s 800 | 18:40 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 800m | 18:50 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ High Jump | 18:50 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ High Jump | 18:50 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s 800 | 19:00 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ Javelin | 19:00 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ Javelin | 19:00 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s Javelin | 19:00 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s Javelin | 19:00 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s Long Jump | 19:00 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s Long Jump | 19:00 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 100 | 19:05 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 100 | 19:15 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 600 | 19:30 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 600 | 19:40 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ Shot | 19:40 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ Shot | 19:40 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 4×100 | 20:00 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 4×100 | 20:15 |
| ALL | MF | SMW | Mixed 5000 | 20:25 |
Sunday 2nd August 2020
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 70 Hurdles | 16:30 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ High Jump | 16:30 |
| ALL | M | SM | Mens’ High Jump | 16:30 |
| U12 | F | U12G | Girls’ Ball Throw | 16:30 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 75 Hurdles | 16:40 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 200 | 16:50 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 200 | 17:00 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ Discus Throw | 17:00 |
| U12 | M | U12B | Boys’ Ball Throw | 17:00 |
| ALL | M | SM | Mens’ Discus Throw | 17:00 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ Long Jump | 17:00 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 1500 | 17:15 |
| ALL | M | SM | Mens’ 1500 | 17:25 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 300 | 17:35 |
| U12 | F | U12G | Girls’ 300 | 17:45 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 300 | 17:55 |
| U12 | M | U12B | Boys’ 300 | 18:05 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ Shot | 18:10 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ Shot | 18:10 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ High Jump | 18:10 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ High Jump | 18:10 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ 1500 | 18:15 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 1500 | 18:25 |
| ALL | M | SM | Men’s 200 | 18:35 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ Javelin | 18:40 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ Javelin | 18:40 |
| ALL | F | SW | Women’s 200 | 18:45 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 1200 | 18:55 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ Long Jump | 19:00 |
| SEN,U18,U20,U23 | MF | SMW | Shot | 19:00 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 400 | 19:05 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 400 | 19:15 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 1200 | 19:30 |
| ALL | M | SM | Mens’ Triple Jump | 19:30 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ Triple Jump | 19:30 |
| ALL | M | SM | Mens’ 400 | 19:40 |
| ALL | F | SW | Womens’ 400 | 19:45 |
| U14 | F | U14G | Girls’ 4×100 | 19:55 |
| U14 | M | U14B | Boys’ 4×100 | 20:05 |
| U16 | M | U16B | Boys’ 3000 | 20:20 |
| U16 | F | U16G | Girls’ 3000 | 20:30 |
