Three 2005 winners among nominees

Double Trap shooter William Chetcuti, the snooker national team and young tennis player Matthew Asciak are again among the contenders for the 2006 Sportivi Nazzjonali awards as all three 2005 winners are on the list of finalists issued by the Ghaqda Kittieba Sports (GhKS) yesterday.

Chetcuti, Sportsman of the Year for the past four years, has again earned a place among the top ten nominees while the snooker national team and Asciak are in the running to retain the honour in the Team of the Year and Best U-17 Athlete categories respectively.

Despite their historic 2-1 win over Hungary in a Euro 2008 Group C qualifier, the Maltese national football team have not been shortlisted for the Team of the Year award. Malta's victory in October was their first competitive success in 13 years and the first such win achieved at the National Stadium.

Details about this year's 36th edition were given by GhKS president Charles Camenzuli at the Westin Dragonara, venue of this year's presentations night on January 27.

Camenzuli said the list of nominees was established according to a points accumulation system devised by a sub-committee which includes awards founder Benny Pace and Mario Meli. This formula aims to reward the feats by Maltese athletes both locally and in international competition up to December 31, 2006.

The five finalists in each of the five categories will be revealed on January 13 during a meeting with Louis Galea, the Minister for Education, Youth and Employment.

Camenzuli said this year's winners will be determined by the usual voting system in which sports editors of local newspapers and TV sports coordinators will be asked to cast their vote which will amount to 10 per cent of the overall result. Member journalists of the GhKS will also take part in the voting procedure.

Maria Spiteri and Bjorn Tabone will also receive an award as best disabled athletes after their excellent performance in the tenpin bowling competitions in last year's European Championships, held in Rome.

The organisers are again trying to lure a former Olympic champion to attend the presentations' night. In 2005, former Italian athlete Livio Berrutti, a 200 metres gold medallist in the 1960 Rome Olympics, was the distinguished guest of the GhKS.

It was also confirmed that another veteran sports journalist will receive a special prize for his sterling contribution to sport. Last year, the late Lewis Portelli was honoured by the sportswriters association.

Also present for yesterday's news conference was Franco Azzopardi, chairman of the Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport. Azzopardi lauded the GhKS for organising the Sportivi Nazzjonali awards, an event which gained in popularity among local sportsmen over the years. Azzopardi promised the Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport's backing for the Sportivi Nazzjonali contest for many years to come.

List of nominees...

Sportsman of the Year: D. Bezzina (snooker/pool), A. Borg (snooker), C. Camilleri (horse racing), W. Chetcuti (shooting), M. Cremona (table football), R. Falzon Reale (bowling), B. Farrugia (bowling), J. Pace (archery), A. Vassallo (wrestling), M. Zammit (triathlon).

Sportswoman of the Year: S. Abela (bowling), C. Attard (athletics), L.M. Bezzina (athletics), M. Bezzina (judo), L. Casha (bowling), Dorianne Galea (basketball), R. Madyson (shooting), D. Spiteri (triathlon), C. Walsh (athletics).

Official of the Year: J. Attard (badminton), T. Camilleri (snooker), T. Cilia Pisani (tennis), J. Giordemaina (wrestling), Antonio Mizzi (basketball), Julian Pace Bonello (bowling), B. Vassallo (basketball).

Team of the Year: bowls national team, tenpin bowling mixed national team, Team Chaudron (powerboats), Artie crew (sailing), karate seniors national team, pool national team, snooker national team, men's table-tennis national team, triathlon national team, weightlifting national team.

U-17 Athlete of the Year: J. Attard (shooting), M. Asciak (tennis), D. Borg (athletics), N. Cremona (swimming), T. Griscti (snooker), D. Micallef (athletics), D. Pace (athletics), F. Xuereb (athletics), M. Xuereb (athletics).