Finalists in all categories named
The finalists of the SportMalta Awards Ghazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali were announced yesterday during a ceremony at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, during which all the semifinalists were also presented with certificates.
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 national team
Football: Men’s U-21 national team
Snooker: Team Alex Borg and Brian Cini Waterpolo: National team A Waterpolo: Under 19 national team
The final event will be held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta on 25 February.
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.
Those who reached the semifinal stage of the contests were nominated by 29 national sports associations/federations.