Is Malta’ search for an Olympic medal a futile dream? A lot of effort in terms of strategy, planning, and assessment, and possibly sufficient funds, have been put in every time Malta competes. A medal continues to elude us, notwithstanding our repeated participation in the Games with cautious optimism. What is wrong? What are we doing wrong – or rather what are we not doing right? Are we too ambitious? Do we lack the right focus in the right sectors; the ability to identify realistic chances of success? Barrie Shepley, for ten years Canada’s Olympic triathlon coach, winning gold in Sydney 2000, and chairman of the Coaching Association of Ontario, and Stephen D. Holmes, a lawyer resident in Malta, past member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and president of Triathlon Canada, review the Canadian experience and that of the smallest nations and their possible relevance to what Malta’s approach should be. They are introduced by Austin Sammut, a lawyer, active in the field of sports administration and past president of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta.