Mario Bonello elected as new president of Athletics Malta

Succeeds Aldrin Cassar who announced his departure in May

Mario Bonello is the new president of Athletics Malta.

Bonello was given the approval to serve as president of the local governing body of athletics during the Extraordinary General Meeting that was held yesterday.

Bonello fills the void left by Aldrin Cassar, who, earlier this year, announced that he was stepping down from the post for personal reasons, and will serve as president until the end of the current Council term, which expires in 2026.

Cassar had been at the helm of Athletics Malta for the past three years following the departure of his predecessor, Andy Grech.

Bonello was the only candidate for the seat of Athletics Malta president after Interim President Darren Micallef, who had initially shown his intention to stand for the election, decided to pull out of the race.

Thus, that paved the way for Bonello to be elected as the new president of Athletics Malta.

Bonello is a familiar face with Maltese athletics, given his long-standing association with the sport.

The 51-year-old was one of Malta’s top sprinters during his career, winning several medals for the country at the Games of the Small States of Europe, and also managed to represent our country at two World Championships and the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.

Following his retirement from competitive athletics, Bonello remained closely involved in the sport through coaching and administration.

Since 2020, he has served as Technical Director of Athletics Malta.

Under his leadership, the profile of Maltese athletics on the international stage has strengthened considerably, with athletes achieving unprecedented results at major events.

Drawing on his profession as an architect and civil engineer, he was also instrumental in the upgrading of the track facility at Marsa, a project made possible through significant investment by SportMalta.

“With his combined experience as an elite athlete, administrator, and professional in the field of infrastructure, Bonello is well-positioned to lead Athletics Malta into its next phase of growth and development,” Athletics Malta said in a statement.

“Athletics Malta expresses its appreciation to outgoing president Aldrin Cassar as well as to Darren Micallef, who fulfilled the role of interim president over the past months, for their dedication and commitment to the association.”