Finalists of the Sport Malta Awards – L-Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali announced

by Catherine Micallef.

Rebecca Brincat Thoresen - Basketball

The Kunsill Malti għall-iSport and the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports today announced the finalists for The SportMalta Awards – L-Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali consisting of five finalists in each respective category: Sportsman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year, Best U-17 Athlete, Team of the Year and Official of the Year. In addition, the 10 finalists in the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year categories of the L-Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali are also in the running for the prestigious SportMalta Award. These awards being the main national sport event of the year where athletes, officials and administrators who distinguish themselves, will be rewarded during a ceremony befitting sport in Malta as a whole. The Awards Ceremony will take place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, Saturday, 29th January and will be broadcast on TVM live from, 8.30pm onwards.

 Jean Todt, the President of the FIA, motor sport’s world governing body, has been unveiled as special guest for the presentation night of The SportMalta Awards – L-Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali. Jean Todt is well known for his role with Ferrari as General Manager of its Racing Division in 1993. By 2001, he was General Manager of all Sporting Activities of the Ferrari-Maserati Group and in 2006, he became Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari SpA. During Todt’s time with Ferrari, the team won a total 98 Grand Prix victories and 13 world titles. On 23 October, 2009, he was elected as president of the FIA. Further details on Mr. Todt’s programme during his visit to Malta will be announced in a Press Conference next week. Mr. Todt’s visit has been made possible thanks to the Malta MotorSport Federation. 

Chris Camilleri - Canoeing

During today’s media event, Bernard Vassallo, the KMS Chairman, explained how the winners of the SportsMalta Award will be determined (the 10 finalists in the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year categories). The winner will emerge from a voting process which is made up of 40 per cent of the votes cast by the sports journalists, another 40 per cent from votes of association delegates present during the presentations’ night and the other 20 per cent from a public vote that gets underway via SMS as of today.

Charles Camenzuli, President of the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, announced that the Għaqda will be celebrating their 50th edition. He went on to advise that in the coming days association members will receive the voting documents to choose their preferred candidates in each of the five categories.

 Pippo Psaila, the event director went on to say that the Awards ceremony will also include local and foreign entertainment such as, the Versatile Brass Band, Kristina Casolani, Airport Impressions and from being brought over specifically for this event, Ilias Zefzaf (Football Freestyle), Thierry Klinkenberg (World Champion of VTT Trial) and Antoine Jehanne (Artistic Basketball) from Belgium.

Sue Abela - Ten Pin Bowling

The public can start voting by SMS for the winner of the SportMalta Award as follows: Abela Sue – Ten Pin Bowling (50616801), Bonello Mario – Athletics (50616802), Bonello Spiteri Danica – Triathlon (50616803), Borg Costanzi Nicola – Canoeing (50616804), Brincat Thoresen Rebecca – Basketball (50616805), Camilleri Christopher – Canoeing (50616806), Chetcuti William – Shooting (50616807), Cremona Massimo – Table Football (50616808), Mangion Davina – Swimming (50616809), and  Schembri Andre’ – Football (50616810). Each SMS costs €0.37 cents. Televoting closes on the night of the 29th January.

The gala night, to be broadcast live on TVM, will be presented by well known sports presenters Chris Cauchi and Dorienne Grech.

 THE FINALISTS

 Sportsman of the Year:

 Mario Bonello – Athletics

Christopher Camilleri – Canoeing

William Chetcuti – Shooting

Massimo Cremona – Table Football

Andre’ Schembri – Football

Sportswoman of the Year:

Sue Abela – Ten Pin Bowling

Danica Bonello Spiteri – Triathlon

Nicola Borg Costanzi – Canoeing

Rebecca Brincat Thoresen – Basketball

Davina Mangion – Swimming

Official of the Year:

 Esther Azzopardi – Football

Jesmond Caruana – Weightlifting

Joe Caruana Curran – Billiards & Snooker

Silvio Catania – Table Football

Antonio Mizzi – Basketball

Team of the Year:

Women’s National Basketball Team  

Darren Vella and Clive Farrugia – Shooting

National Table Football Team

National Triathlon Team

National Team of Horse Racing

 U/17 Athlete: John Debattista Trophy:

Daniel Bajada – Table Tennis

Nikki Muscat – Swimming

Mark Sammut – Swimming

Jeremy Saywell – Judo

Colette Sultana – Squash

From left Bernard Vassallo Chairman Kunsill Malti għall-iSport, Pippo Psaila SportMalta Awards L-Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali Event Director, Charles Camenzuli President Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports