Chetcuti makes it a platinum double

William Chetcuti continued to enrich his already-impressive array of honours yesterday when he was named as the only Maltese sports personality to receive the Platinum Award in the eighth Maltese Olympic Committee Sports Awards.

In 2008, clay shooter Chetcuti was honoured with the MOC's highest award for his achievement in the Beijing Olympics and his eighth place in Double Trap.

This year, Chetcuti added a Mediterranean Games silver medal to his list of successes after having gained a gold medal for the country in the Games of the Small States of Europe in Cyprus.

In the Pescara Games in July, Chetcuti produced a superb display that saw him totalling 189 points to finish one clay behind gold medal winner Daniele Di Spigno.

For Chetcuti, 24, the 2009 Med. Games medal was his eighth from ten international competitions so far in his career. Most of the best Double Trap shooters around were taking part in Pescara and on his return home the media even hailed Chetcuti as the best sportsman the country had ever produced.

The presentations night, held at the Excelsior Hotel, was attended by various distinguished personalities including Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clyde Puli, Giancarlo Antognoni, the former Italy midfielder who won the World Cup for the Azzurri in 1982, and delegates from the Commonwealth Games. They are currently here to accompany the Queen's Baton which is touring the island as part of the trans-continental relay ahead of next year's Games in Delhi.

For the second year running, powerboats world champion Aaron Ciantar was presented with a Special Merit Award by the MOC.

Ciantar's outstanding skills in P1 came to the fore this year after a smooth drive for the Ukrainian Spirit team in the SuperSport championship.

This year, the MOC awarded nine Gold Awards with the women's basketball team emulating the feat of last year, this time for topping the GSSE tournament in Cyprus.

Squash did a double with the men's and women's teams along with Skeet duo Darren Vella and Clive Farrugia.

The others on the Gold Award list were Nicolai Portelli (athletics), Sue Abela (bowling), Danica Spiteri (triathlon), Charles Degiorgio (horse racing) and Thomas Zammit Tabona (sailing).

Hall of Fame

There were six new Hall of Fame inductees yesterday, all male.

Colin Cauchi dedicated more than 50 years of his life to sports administration and journalism and Joe Debono will always be remembered for his love to sub-aqua and water sport.

John Magri is a two-time Malta Sportsman of the Year and represented the country in cycling in the Olympics of 1972 and 1980.

Charles Mifsud is the founder of the Malta Weightlifting Federation and an inspiration to the sport in our country.

Charles Mock was inducted in the Hall of Fame as a recognition of his exploits in sport, particularly waterpolo and football.

Philip A. Vassallo was an all-rounder in his hey-days and later involved in sports administration. He formed part of the Maltese Olympic Committee for 26 years and retired as treasurer in 1993.

2009 award winners

Platinum award
W. Chetcuti (shooting).

Gold award
N. Portelli (athletics); basketball team (women - C. Fenech, K. Agius, R. Brincat Thoreson, J. Cardona, M. Desira, L. Ellul, C. Grima, J. Grima, K. Micallef, L. Sciberras, A. Sciortino and A. Vella); T. Zammit Tabona (sailing); D. Vella and C. Farrugia (shooting - skeet); squash team (men - B. Hindle Deguara, M. Fiteni, B. Bugeja, S. Schranz, S. Rizzo, M. Lupi, J. Bonello Ghio); squash team (women - A. Olivieri Munroe, T. Brousson, J. Rizzo and C. Sultana); S. Abela (bowling); D. Spiteri (triathlon); C. Degiorgio (horse racing).

Silver award
Relay team 4x100m (athletics - M. Bonello, R. Chouhal, K. Farrugia, N. Portelli); J. D'Alfonso (athletics); Rugby 7s women's team (E. Azzopardi, B. Sultana, C. Casha, C. Gauci, M. Azzopardi, C. Abela, C. Vassallo, A. Cassar, V. Aquilina and D. Borg); M. Podesta (sailing); N. Attard (shooting); C. Farrugia (shooting); W. Vella (shooting - indoor);
B. Farrugia (bowling); M. Gauci (table football).

Bronze award
Relay team 4x400m (athletics - M. Bonello, M. Debono, N. Portelli, J. D'Alfonso); G. Camilleri (athletics); C. Walsh (athletics); D. Farrugia (boċċi); N. Borg Costanzi (canoe); C. Camilleri (canoe); gymnastics team (K. Caruana, N. Pace, A. Zammit); K. Caruana (gymnastics); M. Bezzina (judo); J. Camilleri (judo); K. Law (judo); B. Law (judo); Artie crew (sailing - L. Satariano, I. Mallia, J. Mainamare, P. Valentino, M. Gusman, T. Ripard and K. Casapinta); J.J. Aquilina and N. Carabott (shooting); S. Gerada (table tennis); M. Spiteri (bowling); M. Asciak (tennis); K. Cassar and E. Genovese (tennis); D. Galea (triathlon); K. Galea (triathlon); M. Wood (triathlon); M. Cremona (table football); M. Fenech (table football).

Special merit award
A. Ciantar (powerboats); netball U-17 team (F. Farrugia, K. Buttigieg, M. Cauchi, E. Scicluna, G. Attard, R. Sant, M. Cremona, C. Lagana and C. Galea).