The Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports on Saturday announced the list of finalists for this year’s SportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali which will be held on March 13, on a virtual transmission due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Malta Football Association is represented heavily in this year’s finals as it has three nominations in three different categories.
Haley Bugeja made it to the final of the Sportswoman of the Year Award and the Young Sportswoman of the Year.
The Sassuolo forward will be joined by tenpin bowler Sue Abela and swimmer Sasha Gatt, in the Sportswoman of the Year Award.
On the other hand, in the Young Sportswoman of the Year, Bugeja will be up against weightlifter Tenishia Thornton and gymnast Tara Vella Clark.
Malta football national coach Devis Mangia made the cut in the Coach of the Year award alongside Jesmond Caruana (weightlifting) and Dorian Pisani, the coach of San Ġiljan ASC.
The women’s football national team was voted into the final of the Team of the Year alongside 2020 winners Elusive (sailing) and Luxol Futsal Club.
Sailor Richard Schulteis and squash player Kijan Sultana and tenpin bowler Kayden Lagana again qualified for the final of the Young Sportsman of the Year Award.
This year we will have a new winner in the Sportsman of the Year category track and field athlete Jordan Gusman was not nominated.
Rodney Gatt, representing the Malta Racing Club, is again in the final alongside pool player Dejan Grech and waterpolo player Ben Plumpton.
The other category contested is the Official of the Year and here the finalists are Malta Basketball Association general secretary Joseph Muscat, Vince Degiorgio, of the Malta Pool Association, and Andy Grech, president of Athletics Malta.
The winners of this year’s contest will be decided through a panel of journalists from the Malta Sports Journalist Association.
Sportsman of the year
Rodney Gatt (horse racing), Dejan Grech (pool); Ben Plumpton (waterpolo).
Sportswoman of the Year
Sue Abela (tenpin bowling), Haley Bugeja (football), Sasha Gatt (swimming).
Team of the Year
Women’s national team (football), Luxol FC (futsal), Elusive II (sailing).
Coach of the Year
Devis Mangia (football), Jesmond Caruana (weightlifting), Dorian Pisani (waterpolo);
Official of the Year
Vince Degiorgio (pool); Joseph Muscat (basketball), Andy Grech (athletics)
Young Sportswoman of the Year
Haley Bugeja (football); Tenishia Thornton (weightlifting), Tara Vella Clark (gymnastics).
Young Sportsman of the Year
Kijan Sultana (squash), Richard Schulteis (sailing), Kayden Laganà (tenpin bowling)
