Former Italy and Juventus striker Salvatore Schillaci will be the guest of honour during the 2012 SportMalta Awards gala ceremony, to be held at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali on Saturday, January 19, organising committee chairman Pippo Psaila announced yesterday.
“We are proud to announce that Toto Schillaci will be the main guest for the 2012 SportMalta Awards,” Psaila told reporters at the Cottonera Sports Complex yesterday.
“Schillaci was one of the most popular players in the Italian Serie A. During his stay here, he will share his experiences with the young athletes attending the SkolaSport programmes and he will be our guest of honour during the presentations’ night.”
Schillaci, 48, is well-known among followers of Italian football due to his exploits with Serie A giants Juventus with whom he made 90 appearances and scored 26 goals. During his spell with the Bianconeri, the Sicilian-born Schillaci helped the team to win the UEFA Cup and the Coppa Italia in 1990.
He reached the apex of his career during the 1990 World Cup in Italy as his goals were crucial for the Azzurri to reach the semi-finals where they bowed out to Argentina after a penalty shoot-out. The nippy striker had the consolation of finishing that 1990 World Cup as top scorer with six goals.
During yesterday’s meeting, the finalists for this year’s awards were announced with four of last year’s winners in contention to succes-sfully defend their titles.
Double Trap shooter William Chetcuti, who last year won the Sportsman of the Year for the eighth time, is one of the final candidates along with Manty Bugeja (drag racing), Steve Camilleri (waterpolo), Etienne Bonello (cycling) and boxer Billy Corito who has earned his first nomination for this award.
In the Sportswoman of the Year category, last year’s winner Diane Borg (athletics) has been shortlisted along with bowler Sue Abela, Danica Bonello Spiteri (triathlon), Lucienne Galea (karate) and squash player Colette Sultana.
The rugby national team are also in the running to defend last year’s title. They face competition from the national teams of squash (women), bowling and skeet shooting and FIA champions Mr Whippy.
A notable absentee from the team of the year shortlist was the football’s national team who missed out after making it to the semi-final stage.
The other 2011 winner who is in with a chance of retaining the award is young double trap shooter Nathan Lee Xuereb who is up against Francesco Aufieri (judo), Gianluca Dingli (karting), Julian Harding (swimming) and Nicole Gatt (athletics/weightlifting).
Maltese Olympic Committee vice-president Julian Pace Bonello, winner of the official of the year award, has failed to make the cut this time around. The nominees for this accolade are Jimmy Bugeja (shooting), Jesmond Caruana (weightlifting), Envic Galea (judo), Damian Neill (rugby) and Peter Valentino (sailing).
Also present for yesterday’s meeting was Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport Clyde Puli who encouraged the finalists to be role models for future athletes.
“You should be proud of your achievements,” Puli told the athletes who attended yesterday’s event during which an exhibition of sports photographs was inaugurated at the Cottonera Sports Complex.
“I hope that you continue to give your 100 per cent as you are the role models for our future athletes and your example can only help to attract more people to practise sport.”
The finalists
Sportsman of the Year: E. Bonello (cycling), M. Bugeja (drag racing), S. Camilleri (waterpolo), W. Chetcuti (shooting), B. Corito (boxing).
Sportswoman of the year: S. Abela (bowling), D. Bonello Spiteri (triathlon), D. Borg (athletics), L. Galea (karate), C. Sultana (squash).
Team of the year: bowling national team, Mr Whippy (drag racing), rugby national team, skeet national team (shooting), women’s squash national team.
Official of the year: J. Bugeja (shooting), J. Caruana (weight-lifting), E. Galea (judo), D.Neill (rugby), P. Valentino (sailing).
Young athlete: F. Aufieri (judo), G. Dingli (karting), J. Harding (swimming), N. Gatt (weight-lifting/athletics), N.L. Xuereb (shooting).
Athletes with special needs: M. Sultana, P. Gruppetta.