Top Maltese athletes and officials to be honoured at SportMalta Awards on Saturday

The 61st edition of the SportMalta Awards – Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali will be held this evening in a unique format.

As announced last week, this year’s edition will be a special one since the organising committee, formed by the Malta Sportswriters Association and SportMalta were forced to hold this year’s ceremony online.

This year’s final will be honouring the achievements of those athletes and officials that took the limelight in the last 12 months.

It will be honouring the top performers in the seven main categories namely Sportsman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year, Young Sportsman of the Year, Young Sportswoman of the Year, Official of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year.

The ceremony will be broadcast on TSN1 and on the online platforms of Melita and GO, as well as on the Facebook page of the Malta Sports Journalists Association and Be Active SportMalta.

The ceremony will get under way at 8pm and will take place as a television programme with the finalists joining the broadcast virtually on Zoom.

FINALISTS

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).