Gibsport Championships 2006 - 15th Anniversary



Video Clip of Gibsport Championships 2006 - 15th Anniversary

The Gibsport Middle Schools Athletics Championships is perhaps the biggest annual sporting event held in Gibraltar as it involves over 600 people on the day. Over 500 children ranging from 8 to 12 years old and approximately 80 school teachers and helpers.

Key Artificers towards the introduction of this event were Joe Martinez, Kenneth Saez and Frank Baglietto, all still heavily involved in the running of the championships today. The then Minister for Sport, Mari Montegriffo is also said to have been instrumental in the birth of this magnificent event by giving her full support ever since the idea was put forward by Tony Avellano, director of Gibsport and organiser of the event.

After many meetings between the department of education and the different schools and head teachers, the championships were incepted into the sports scene in 1991. Gibsport is a non inter-schools event with no school colours flying. In other words a purely individual athletics event where the children compete against themselves and the clock.

With the exception of 1995 due to the Island Games held here in Gibraltar, the Gibsport Middle Schools Athletics Championships have been held year in year out with its 15th edition held last July.

Throughout the years the Gibsport Championships have progressed and developed to include new events such as the Javelin and Discus. Furthermore, worthy of mention is the fact that the Gibsport Championships had a tremendous influence in the introduction of junior athletics into the Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association, hence their road track leagues that are going from strength to strength.

The championships are also very highly rated by pupils and teachers of all local middle schools and as a result forms part of the Education Sports curriculum. For the an event of such magnitude Gibsport counts on the support of local companies whom advertise on the championship’s programme, so all athlete’s and organisers have something to remind them of the event.

Tony Avellano has been a keen sportsman throughout his life and is mostly known for his involvement in local volleyball for over 30 years, where he enjoyed most of his success. However when asked what his biggest achievement in sport is, Tony explains how his biggest success at both national and international level is simply the Gibsport Middle Schools Athletics Championships, which he is very proud of having introduced into the local sports scene. Mr Avellano further acknowledges that he could not have managed this on his own, and achieved this with the help of others that are also as proud as he is for organising the event for 15 years.

Thanks and congratulations to Gibsport and the team for the 15 years of the Gibsport Championships… and the many more that hopefully will come!!