Sicily test looms for Maltese

The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) are looking forward to another useful challenge at the weekend when local sportsmen take part in the Mediterranean Friendship Games in Syracuse.

The biennial games, now in their fifth edition, see athletes from the national olympic committees of Malta and Sicily face each other in a number of disciplines. The team that amasses most points at the end of the three-day event is declared overall winner.

This year’s Games will feature nine disciplines – badminton, fencing, equestrian, triathlon, pool, table football, table tennis, tenpin bowling and weightlifting.

Mark Cutajar, the MOC director of sport, told a news conference yesterday that these Games are an excellent opportunity for our athletes to gain experience at international level.

“2011 has been a very successful year for the MOC so far,” Cutajar said.

“At the Liechtenstein GSSE, we registered our best result on foreign soil while double trap shooter William Chetcuti achieved a landmark success by winning the World Cup shoot in Beijing to secure an Olympic quota.

“Chetcuti’s team-mate, Nathan Lee Xuereb, obtained a very prestigious result at the European Junior Championships.

“One must also mention the feats of judokas Jeremy Saywell and Marcon Bezzina and sprinter Diane Borg who excelled at the World Championships.

“Now, we are gearing up for the Med. Friendship Games and our objective is to gain more positive results against our Sicilian counterparts. The level of opposition will be strong but I’m confident that, with the quality of athletes we have in the team, we can hold our own.”

The MOC contingent in Syracuse will be made up of 60 athletes and officials. Among those selected are bowling champion Sue Abela, weightlifter Rodmar Pulis, table tennis player Daniel Bajada and triathlete Danica Bonello Spiteri. The latter will be the team’s flag bearer in Friday’s opening ceremony.

MOC director Anthony Debono will be the chef-de-mission of the Maltese group which will also include president Lino Farrugia Sacco and secretary Joe Cassar.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said: “In the past few weeks, we received enquiries from Tunisia who wanted to take part in this year’s edition but their request could not be accepted as it arrived too late.

“Libya was another country that had declared an interest to join in but any plans to expand these Games must be analysed thoroughly as the bigger the number of participants, the higher the costs.”

2017 Med. Games

Meanwhile, Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco annouced that Tarragona has won the right to host the 2017 Mediterranean Games.

The Spanish city beat the bid of Egypt’s Alexandria 36-34 in a vote held earlier this week at the general assembly of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games.

The contingent
Badminton: S. Salomone, S. Cali, M. Borg, F. Farrugia.
Fencing: P. Bianchi, P. Borg, A. Zahra.
Equestrian: G. Curmi, S. Micallef, T. Xuereb, L. Ciarlo.
Triathlon: K. Galea, C. Attard, D. Bonello Spiteri, D. Camilleri.
Pool: M. Falzon, C. Tabone, A. Aquilina, C. Mills.
Table football: C. Aquilina, J. Borg Bonaci, D. Conti, S. Pace.
Table tennis: D. Bajada, A. Gambina.
Tenpin bowling: J. Caruana Scicluna, N. Sullivan, S. Abela, T. Carrannante.
Weightlifting: C. Grech, M. Muscat Inglott, R. Pulis, N. Gatt.