Academy players leave their mark

Another season is now underway with Table Tennis Academy Malta (TTAM) once again enjoying a superb start to the 2011-12 campaign.

During the first junior ranking event of the Malta Table Tennis Association, Matteo Mizzi was runner-up in the U-13 singles and won the plate event in the U-15 with Marcus Portelli claiming the honours.

TTAM players Steve Bugeja and Andrea Portelli were semi-finalists in the U-18 singles with Andrew Gambina placing second. Nikolai Mercieca won the U-18 plate and Lachezar Penev was runner-up.

In the second MTTA junior ranking tournament, Dylan Zammit placed second in the U-13 singles and Matteo Mizzi made it to the semi-finals. The plate was won by Ryan Paul Camilleri.

Portelli was runner-up in the U-15 singles and Matteo Mizzi clinched the plate. Gambina was second in the U-18 event.

The second MTTA senior ranking tournament also produced good performances.

In fact, in the plate event, James Camilleri and Marcus Portelli were the winner and runner-up respectively.

Meanwhile, Portelli and Ryan Tabone were part of the junior team and Gambina played for the senior side at the Cyprus Open.

The highlight was the match between Malta’s junior team and that of Cyprus, with the Maltese players prevailing 3-1.

During the Christmas holidays, the Academy will boost its efforts to attract new talent.

One may obtain more details by phoning 7959-1799.