Maltese team for world championships

Maltese swimmers Andrea Agius, Andrew Chetcuti and Nicola Muscat will be in Shanghai this week to take part in the 14th FINA World Championships.

The Malta delegation in China is led by national team coach Andy Colbourn and Chris Agius, the ASA technical committee secretary and team manager.

Chetcuti, who last month became the first male swimmer to win a medal for Malta in the Games of the Small States of Europe, will be competing in the qualifying heats of the 50 metres freestyle and the 50 metres butterfly.

Agius will be involved in the qualifying heats of the 50 metres breaststroke and the 100 metres breastroke while Muscat will take part in the 50 metres backstroke and the 50 metres freestyle.

Colbourn is hopeful that his swimmers will be able to maintain their standards.

“It has been a long season for our team,” the Malta coach said.

“But, competing in the Shan-ghai world championships this week will be a great experience for them. The main goal will be that to at least maintain our times even though I would not exclude the possibility of setting a couple of new national records.”

Over 5,000 swimmers from all parts of the world are competing in the World Championships which are being staged inside the brand new Oriental Sports Complex in Shanghai.