In his first reaction to the media, following the conclusion of the Olympic Games on Sunday, Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) Director of Sport Mark Cutajar said the general showing of the five-member Team Malta in London was positive even though more was expected from William Chetcuti in Double Trap.
In the build-up to London 2012, the MOC had pinned their hopes of a first Olympic Games medal on Chetcuti. Expectations were also high for the Manikata shooter to qualify for the finals and thus register Malta’s best-ever result at the Games.
“Generally, Team Malta’s efforts and commitment at the Games should be commended. This was another positive experience,” Cutajar said in a statement issued by the MOC this week.
“However, in Double Trap we were left with a bitter taste. Ninth place could be considered as a satisfactory result for others but we know William is good enough to place higher than that.”
Chetcuti had obtained a string of impressive results in the build-up to the Games and the MOC said they did everything they could, including substantial financial backing, to see that the shooter’s objectives in London would be reached. However, it seems that Chetcuti gave in to pressure on competition day.
Cutajar pointed out that Chetcuti is not far from being a complete competitor.
First, however, he has to fine-tune some of his tactics and, more importantly, Chetcuti also has to accept the fact that minor adjustments need to be done.
“A self-assessment exercise will do William no harm,” Cutajar said.
“There’s very little he needs to do to become even more com-petitive.
“Soon, our Technical Commission will evaluate results in Lon-don more thoroughly.”
Besides Chetcuti, Malta’s other representives in London were track and field athletes Diane Borg and Rachid Chouhal and swimmers Nicola Muscat and Andrew Chetcuti.
The average age for Team Malta athletes was relatively low and Cutajar reckons that’s an encouraging factor for the future even though one cannot underestimate the results of other small European countries at the Games.
“We can look forward with a certain amount of optimism,” he said.
“However, we also have to take into consideration the progress achieved by other small countries in Europe, particularly Cyprus, winners of a medal in sailing, and Montenegro who made the podium on two occasions in waterpolo and handball.
“San Marino were also very close to a medal in shooting. These remarkable results should not deter our athletes though but, instead, spur us and other GSSE countries for future Games.”
Swimmer Chetcuti returned home from London with a 100m national record and, the MOC noted, Muscat achieved a season best time in the 50m freestyle despite being laid low by fever before her race.
At the track, Chouhal and Borg ran to season best times at the Olympic Stadium and the latter also did well to qualify for the women’s 100m race first round.
MOC president Lino Farrugia Sacco and Julian Pace Bonello, the chef-de-mission, agreed that the Olympics in London were a positive experience for the Maltese.
“These Games conclude another significant chapter for the MOC,” both were quoted as saying in the statement.
“This was an all-round effort and we feel we have to show our appreciation not only to the athletes, coaches and the associations involved but also to the medical staff and others not mentioned for their sterling contribution.”
During the Games, Team Malta coaches and medical staff also had the occasion to attend seminars and establish new contacts.
Such exercises are of great benefit to the development of Maltese sport, the MOC concluded.