Neil Agius and Tenishia Thornton were the main winners in the 65th Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali that were held last night.
The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta notched two awards as president Karl Izzo was named Official of the Year while Milan Cirovic was honoured as best coach.
The sport of pool recorded also secured a memorable double as Jake Castaldi won the Young Male Athlete award while the U-18 national selection took the Team of the Year Award.
Thornton was not the only weightlifter to be honoured as Kim Camilleri Lagana was crowned as Young Female Athlete of the Year.
Agius was the outstanding favourite to land the Sportsman of the Year Award following his Open Water swimming heroics last year.
The veteran swimmer caught the headlines last year after securing a Guinness World Record after completing an incredible 142.3km swim unassisted around the Maltese islands in 60 hours 35 minutes and four seconds.
Agius collected the highest number of votes to finish ahead of darts player Norbet Attard, Biran Cini (snooker), blackball player Lydan Debono and trap shooter Nico Sciberras.
Tenishia Thornton was crowned as the Sportswoman of the Year following an impressive 2024.
The talented weightlifter secured three gold medals at the European Small Nations Championships.
Thornton also struck gold in the European Union Championships in both the overall category and the doubles competition..
However, her most prestigious feat was winning gold in the women’s Grand Prix while placing fifth in the World Cup event.
Thornton ended the year ranked ninth in the world in her category.
The other finalists in the category where swimmer Sasha Gatt, tennis player Francesca Curmi, judoka Kartyrn Esposito and Michelle Bonnici Mallia (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu).
Camilleri Lagana, Thornton’s team-mate, was victorious in the Young Female of the Year.
Camilleri Lagani netted several medals last year, namely a silver medal in Clean &Jerk and bronze in the overall category at the European Championships.
Added to that she won two medals in the European Small Nations Championships, gold in the doubles event and silver in the team event.
Camilleri Lagana, who is ranked 11th in the world, took silver in the overall category and the doubles competition in the European Union Championships.
The other finalists in this category were sailor Katrina Micallef, Michela Scerri (taekwondo), Sophie St John (gymnastics), and Thiys Antonelli (karate).
Castaldi took the Young Male Athlete of the Year award after he was crowned as world champion in the U-18 team event in England while placind second in the U-18 World Masters Torunament.
Jayden Cutajar (waterpolo), Kayden Lagana (bowling), Nathan Mifsud (weightlifting), and Julian Scerri (squash) were the other contenders for the award.
ASA president Karl Izzo was named Official of the Year after attaining significant achievements for Aquatic sports in 2024.
Izzo was influential in the ASA’s successful bid to host the European Aquatics Champios League Final Four for the next three years.
Under his presidency, the ASA also organised the U-16 Men’s waterpolo World Championships as well as the European Junior Synchronised Swimming Championships.
During 2024, Izzo was also named as vice chairman of the European Aquatics waterpolo Technical Committee.
MFA president Bjorn Vassallo, snooker referee Terry Camilleri, Blackball Federation president Philip Gatt, and Malta Pool Association General Secretary Vince Degiorgio were the other finalists.
Milan Cirovic landed the Coach of the Year Award. The waterpolo national coach was honoured after leading his selection to fifth place in the World Cup Division Two as well as steering the side to European Championships where they finished in 15th place.
The other finalists were Noel Cassar (pool), Noel Mercieca (kickboxing), Jesmond Caruana (weightlifting), and Clevion Micallef (blackball).
The Malta U-18 pool national team won the Team of the Year Award.
The U-18 selection formed by Castaldi, Steve Muscat, Denzel Falzon and Nick Muscat were crowned as World champions in their category.
The pool selection beat the challenge of the national teams of waterpolo, weightlifting, blackball U-15 and Over 50 selections.
The ASA were also honoured for their successful organisation of the European Aquatics Champions League Final Four.
During the night three veteran journalists were inducted in the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport Hall of Fame. These were Colin Cauchi, Joe Cutajar and Mario Saliba.
THE WINNERS
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR: Neil Agius (Open water swimming).
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR: Tenishia Thornton (weightlifting).
Young Male Athlete: Jake Castaldi (pool).
Young Female Athlete: Kim Camilleri Lagana (weightlifting).
Coach of the Year: Milan Cirovic (waterpolo).
Official of the Year: Karl Izzo (Aquatic Sports).
Team of the Year: Pool U-18 National Team.
People’s Choice Award: Gianluca Chetcuti (Shooting).
Sport for social change: Ħamrun Ħanin.
Special Olympics Male: Alec Falzon.
Special Olympics Female: Maria James.
