MOC allocates Lm120,000 for Chetcuti's preparation

William Chetcuti's quest for glory in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing received a boost yesterday when the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) announced a hefty budget of Lm120,000 for the preparation of Malta's prominent double trap shooter under its recently-established Outstanding Athlete Scheme.

Chetcuti is the first sportsman to benefit from this scheme, open to athletes who have won a medal at a major sports event, namely the Olympic, Mediterranean or Commonwealth Games and/or World and European Championships, and who show consistent good form in high-level competitions.

The Lm120,000 fund will cover Chetcuti's expenses for training, travelling and participation in a range of competitions in several countries in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics.

Speaking before the signing of the three-year contract at the MOC headquarters yesterday, Director of Sport Pippo Psaila said it was inevitable that Chetcuti is the first athlete to qualify for this scheme, adding that he was confident that this significant investment will help him create a new piece of Maltese history come 2008.

"William Chetcuti is an exceptional talent," Mr Psaila said. "He has been achieving excellent results on the international scene for a few years now. He has won medals not only in the Games of the Small States of Europe but also excelled in other prestigious events such as the Commonwealth and the Mediterranean Games, European Championships besides claiming a silver medal in a World Cup shoot in Belgrade in July.

"Since Chetcuti's return from the Athens Olympics, the MOC has repeatedly stressed the importance of giving him all the assistance needed to put him in an ideal position to challenge the top shooters in the Beijing Games," the MOC Director of Sport continued.

"William is still young and definitely has the potential to achieve much more than what he has already done. I'm sure that this will be money well spent."

Mr Psaila said that Chetcuti's bold ambition to strike success in the Olympics in China is not the sole concern of the shooter and his federation. He made it clear that he expects the whole nation to rally behind Chetcuti in his bid to give Malta its first ever medal in the Olympic Games.

"This is a project that concerns not only William but the whole Maltese nation," Mr Psaila emphasised. "So far, the MOC has succeeded in luring the backing of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international bodies to fund this project but there is still a lot to be done.

"I sincerely hope that the government will step up its support for Chetcuti and more private companies come forward to help us fulfil this dream for Maltese sport."

"Every time we watch William in action, we always get this feeling that he is capable of doing something extraordinary," Mr Psaila reminisced.

"There's an aura about him that only great sporting champions have. Luckily, he receives a lot of support from his family, his coach Jimmy Bugeja and the federation. He is a very humble athlete and I'm sure that he can achieve great things in his career."

MOC president Lino Farrugia Sacco's speech focused on the progress of Maltese sport in the last two decades. He said that when he began his involvement with the MOC way back in 1988, few if anyone believed that Malta could win a medal in the Mediterranean Games, never mind an Olympic one. That is no longer the case, Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said.

"The MOC has tasted success not only in the GSSE but in bigger events like the Commonwealth Games and the Mediterranean Games," the MOC chief remarked.

"Our sights are now set on a much bigger stage... the Olympics. William's success in the World Cup shoot in Belgrade last July accelerated the launching of this scheme.

"This year, we have forked out Lm5,000 to enable William to take part in a World Cup shoot in Brazil a few months ago and the World Cup finals in Dubai later this month.

"In the Athens Games last year, I felt that Chetcuti was unlucky not to win a silver medal. But now that we have established this scheme, I'm sure that there is more to come from him and he will take Maltese sport to unprecedented heights."

Federation's pride

Malta Shooting Federation president Saviour Portelli said Chetcuti has been the country's leading athlete for several years despite being only 20 years old.

"William's success is a huge source of pride for our federation," Portelli said.

"I think he deserves all the plaudits he gets because he is a dedicated athlete who always strives to improve his talents. His success is already reaping great dividends to the sport as more and more youngsters are taking up shooting to follow in William's footsteps.

"Still, I feel that more investment is needed to maximise the potential of this fantastic shooter. In two weeks' time, he will become the first Maltese shooter to compete in the World Cup finals.

"He is one of the best shooters in the world and I'm sure that in Dubai he will again make the country proud with another prestigious result."