Budding athletes to be tested for sports abilities

Nineteen schools have received equipment that will be used to test the fitness levels and sport orientation of secondary school students as part of a talent identification scheme being organised by the Malta Olympic Committee.

Addressing physical education teachers at the Maria Regina Secondary School, Envic Galea, the MOC's director of youth, said the main philosophy behind the innovative project was the creation of an atmosphere "in which champions are created".

This slogan has been repeated throughout the two seminars that the MOC has organised for youth coaches.

The talent identification scheme will also be conducted in sports clubs and with the youth section of every sports federation participating in the project.

While some federations already had excellent youth schemes, others were yet to develop this sector, which was ultimately the backbone of a future generation of elite athletes, Mr Galea said.

The data from the tests will enable the budding athletes to be directed to one of the 30 disciplines in the scheme. They would take up the discipline in which they stand the best chance of achieving significant progress.

The children will then be targeted by the MOC to pursue their respective disciplines in a more rigorous and structured manner.

Similar projects abroad have revealed that about two per cent of the cohort undergoing tests yield a high score.

Meanwhile Mario Giuliano has been instructing teachers how to use the equipment.

Together with sport scientist Vladimir Douchenkov, he will be visiting schools to monitor testing. Tests are expected to be finished by March.