Federation targets extra wild card for Beijing

The Malta Shooting Federation (MSF) is targeting a second representative to compete alongside William Chetcuti in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, president Saviour Portelli said yesterday.

Portelli, who was giving details on a group of British shooters currently here for a training camp, said in the past Malta always had one shooter in the Olympic Games. However, the MSF feels that for the sport to develop locally it was necessary that other shooters take part in such world class competition.

"In recent editions of the Olympics, our federation had always made sure that Malta has a representative in shooting," Portelli said.

"However, we now feel that with William Chetcuti's success abroad it's high time for us to move a step further. We have other shooters coming up nicely and we will be doing our best to try and get a second entry for the next Games.

"In the next two years we expect Chetcuti to achieve the quota and direct entry for 2008. Once that is achieved we shall seek the assistance of the International Shooting Federation and the Olympic Solidarity to award Malta a wild card for Beijing."

At present, the federation is hosting a group of five shooters from the GB squad.

They are stepping up preparations for the Commonwealth Games in March. The team, headed by manager Ian Cowley and John Dyson Leighton, is composed of three Double Trap shooters, Steven Scott, Steven Valton and Tim Kneale, and Brad Davies and Carl Exton in Trap.

During their stay, they will be training with Chetcuti, Rodney Micallef, Frans Pace and Stanley Cardona who will also take part in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Cowley had words of praise for the MSF and the facilities in Bidnija. Having received a warm reception, they are looking to organise other training camps in Malta in future.

"The ranges in Bidnija are top class," Cowley said. "The weather was not ideal but we really enjoyed ourselves in training today. I hope that this is the start of a long association between the two national federations."

Asked for his opinion on Chetcuti, Cowley said: "He is one of the leading shooters in the world, no doubt. I have been watching his progress ever since he was a junior shooter in European events. He's great... each time I watch him shoot I marvel on his talent.

"I'm sure, in Beijing he will be one of the protagonists in Double Trap."

MOC Director of Sport Pippo Psaila was also at the Bidnija ranges yesterday. He said training camps as the one of the British shooting team are also useful for the continued development of the sport here.

"Shooting is now among the leading sports in Malta," Psaila said.

"We've got the talent of William Chetcuti here who is our best chance of medal success in Olympic Games. I also believe that there are other shooters coming up in this sport."

At the end of the meeting it was party time at Bidnija with Chetcuti, Scott and Portelli the centre of attraction to mark their birthdays.

Chetcuti was 21 last Saturday and Scott also turned 21 yesterday. Portelli will be 55 this weekend.