MOC raises investment by Lm45,000
Italian coaches to conduct courses in Malta
The Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) will invest a further Lm45,000 in the form of IOC scholarships and through the CONI Technical Co-operation Protocol till the end of this year. The announcement was made during a social activity 'Melbourne 2006 - hailing a great success', hosted by the MOC at Palazzo Parisio on Tuesday.
This event was staged to mark the success of the MOC team and respective national associations at the Commonwealth Games.
In Melbourne, Rebecca Madyson won a silver medal in Trap shooting and William Chetcuti landed bronze in Double Trap.
The additional technical support will be in the form of three scholarships earmarked for the 2008 Olympics preparation. These will be awarded to Chetcuti, Diane Borg (track and field) and Marcon Bezzina (judo).
They will benefit from a total sum of Lm18,200 during the year to cover expertise coaching as well as participation in international events.
Bezzina has been accepted as a full-time resident student at the University of Bath where she will undergo an intensive preparation programme.
Borg will take part in a local coaching scheme, designed to help her prepare ahead of major international competitions.
Chetcuti, who forms part of the MOC's Outstanding Elite Athlete scheme, will be dedicating all his energies to obtain a quota place for Beijing.
He will be assisted by coach Jimmy Bugeja and a pool of experts to be appointed by the MOC after discussions with the Malta Shooting Federation.
Next Sunday, Chetcuti will take part in an ISSF World Cup shoot which will be held in Egypt.
Meanwhile, the second technical initiative is the signing of the MOC/CONI agreement where the MOC will allocate Lm27,000 towards local elite athletes and coaches from the following disciplines - athletics, cycling, judo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, gymnastics and sailing.
Through this initiative, Italian coaches will visit the islands to conduct training camps and coaching courses.
This agreement will also allow elite athletes and coaches to undergo stage training abroad, covering periods of up to one month during 2006.