National Sports Awards winners to be announced this evening
The national sports contests organised jointly by SportMalta and the Ghaqda Gurnalisti Sports (Sportswriters Association) come to an end today when the winners will be announced during a ceremony at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.
The event is being screened live by TVM 2 starting at 8.30pm.
The first edition of these Awards was held in 1960 with the late sports journalist Benny Pace organising it through his then popular newspaper The Sporting Star.
The first edition of the Sportsman of the Year contest was held one year after the Sportswriters Association came into being in 1970.
During the last three years, the contests have been organised jointly by SportMalta and the Ghaqda Gurnalisti Sports (Sportswriters Association).
In this year’s edition – the 56th – 48 sports journalists cast their votes for the above named finalists to be selected.
A panel of eight prominent members from the local media will be voting to determine the winners this evening, when the People’s Choice Award winner will also be announced.
The following are the finalists in each category: Sportsman of the Year Camilleri Stevie – Waterpolo Chetcuti William – Shooting Degiorgio Charles – Horse-racing Micallef Duncan – Drag Racing Xuereb Nathan – Shooting
Sportswoman of the Year Abela Sue – Ten Pin Bowling Carannante Tiziana – Ten Pin Bowling Pellicano Helene – Tennis Wingfield Charlotte – Athletics Zammit Stevens Yazmin – Weightlifting
Official of the Year Azzopardi Esther – Football Borda Joseph – Rugby Camilleri Terry – Snooker Caruana Jesmond – Weightlifting Sultana Paul – Basketball Zammit John – Cycling
Coach of the Year Adamoli Angela – Basketball Bugeja Jimmy – Shooting Farrugia Anthony – Waterpolo Holliday Daniel – Rugby Izzo Karl – Waterpolo Vella Silvio - Football
Male Youth of the Year Cassar Kurt – Basketball Galea Luke – Karate Giordimaina Gary – Wrestling Magro Matthew – Ten Pin Bowling Plumpton Ben – Waterpolo Sultana Kijan – Squash Female Youth of the Year Al Tumi Hannah – Basketball Attard Gliveau Nicole – Athletics Grillo Sana – Gymnastics Pellicano Helene – Tennis Shultheis Victoria – Sailing Xuereb Sara – Ten Pin Bowling Team of the Year Basketball: Women’s team
Football: Men’s U-21 national team
Snooker: Team Alex Borg and Brian Cini Waterpolo: National team A Waterpolo: Under 19 national team national