Plaudits to silver medallist Bugeja

The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) has publicly expressed its satisfaction at the commendable showings of its up-and-coming athletes at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games, held recently in Pune, India.

"This is perhaps the best ever result obtained by Team Malta youth athletes," Lino Farrugia Sacco, president of the MOC, told a news conference this week.

"We are reaping the fruits of the monitoring exercise carried out by the MOC youth directorate over the past years and the adequate technical programme set by the MOC in close co-operation with the respective national associations."

Trap shooter Ryan Bugeja was singled out for special praise after winning a silver medal, the first ever by a Maltese participant at these Games.

Envic Galea, the Maltese contingent's Chef-de-Mission in Pune and MOC director of youth, hailed the progress shown by the Maltese athletes during the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Galea remarked that Malta finished 29th in the final classification along with Cyprus, Guyana, Namibia and Gambia. Of the 71 participating nations, only 33 managed to win a medal or more.

Reference was also made to the shotgun competitors who qualified for the final barrage and the track and field athletes, namely the girls' relay team that made it to the final of the 4x100m and placed seventh overall.

Martina Xuereb was eighth in the 400 metres and the boys' relay team broke the national 4x100m record.

Mention was also made of Maria Sciberras, who set a personal best in the 100m hurdles, Dorianne Micallef, who also achieved a new PB in the 200m, and Michael Andrew Frazer who reached the semi-finals in the 400m.

Also present for the news conference was Joseph Cassar, general secretary of the MOC who is also a member of the international committee within the Commonwealth Youth Games.