2009: Sports
by Antoine Busuttil, MaltaMedia Sports Editor
The Games of the Small States of Europe and the Mediterranean Games were the main highlights of 2009 but once again the main focus for many was on football.
Valletta seemed heading towards a second successive BOV Premier League title after suffering just one defeat in fourteen matches between January and early May. However a shock 1-2 defeat to Marsaxlokk allowed Hibernians to move on top just before the final league clash between the Paolites and the Citizens. Valletta needed a win while a draw was enough for Hibernians. The May 24 clash ended in a goalless draw with captain Mario Muscat lifting the coveted trophy.
Further disappointment for the Citizens ensued as they lost the U*BET FA Trophy to Sliema Wanderers on penalties. Hibernians claimed the Euro Cup but they lost the BOV Super Cup to Sliema.
In Europe, after several years, Maltese clubs did quite well. Valletta eliminated Keflavik of Iceland after a 3-0 win at home and 2-2 draw in Iceland. In the following round, they held St. Patrick's Athletic in a 1-1 draw away from home but were then eliminated after losing 0-1 at home. Following a narrow defeat in Croatia, Birkirkara held NK Slaven Belupo in a goalless draw at the Centenary Stadium. Similarly Sliema held Maccabi Netanya in another 0-0 draw at Ta' Qali before losing in Israel. Hibernians, on the other hand, suffered two defeats to FK Mogren.
The national team ended its commitments in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers without any points and without scoring any goals. Over the past twelve months, Malta played eleven matches - five friendly games and six World Cup qualifiers. Malta registered a win in a friendly game against Georgia and a draw in the World Cup qualifier against Albania.
In the six World Cup qualifiers, Malta failed to score a goal, suffering fifteen. On the other hand, the boys in red managed to score goals in the friendly matches against Georgia - two, Angola and Bulgaria.
Following the 0-0 draw against Albania at Ta' Qali in February, Malta lost 0-3 to Denmark and 3-0 in Hungary in March. Malta then played a friendly match against the Czech Republic away from home, losing 1-0 in June. In another match away from home, four days later, Malta lost 4-0 to Sweden.
Malta then defeated Georgia 2-0 in a friendly match at Ta' Qali in August and a few days before the game against Sweden at home, the Maltese lost 0-2 to Cape Verde. Against Sweden, Malta suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat. The national team then travelled to Portugal in October, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Angola in a friendly match and 4-0 to Portugal in a World Cup qualifier. Finally in November, Malta lost 1-4 to Bulgaria in a friendly at the Hibs Ground.
Former national defender John Buttigieg was appointed coach of the National Football Team.
The best result in football was however achieved by the Malta Under-17 national team. In a UEFA mini-tournament, the team collected four points to place third. The team secured a place in the Elite Round of the UEFA Under-17 Championship thanks to one of the two places reserved for the best third-ranked teams from the qualifying round. Malta had never before progressed through a round of a UEFA youth competition. Malta lost 0-2 to Northern Ireland in the first match but then bounced back with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands thanks to two penalties by Sacha Borg and Dylan D'Agostino. In the third and final match, the team led by Charles Scerri and his assistant Ramon Zammit was held in a goalless draw by hosts Andorra.
In the Games of the Small States of Europe which were held in Cyprus, there were major disappointments for Malta although there were a few pleasant surprises as well. Malta claimed three gold, five silver and thirteen bronze medals for a total of 21 medals compared to the 30 medals obtained in Monaco in 2007 and 38 medals won in Andorra in 2005.
William Chetcuti secured a gold medal in the double trap event in shooting while Thomas Zammit Tabona secured the first place in the Optimist Class in sailing. The third gold medal arrived in basketball as Santino Coppa’s girls finished on top after beating Iceland, Cyprus and Luxembourg.
Malta won three silver medals in athletics. James D’Alfonso placed second in the 400 metres while Nicolai Portelli finished second in the 200 metres event. The men’s 4×100m relay team won the other silver medal in athletics. In sailing, Maya Podesta won silver after finishing second in the Laser-Radial class while Nazzareno Attard finished second in the Trap event in shooting.
In judo – usually a sport which gives Malta the best results, Malta had to settle for four bronze medals – Marcon Bezzina in th 63kg, Brent Law and Kriss Law in the 66kg and 60kg respectively and Joanna Camilleri in the 57kg. On the other hand, a pleasant surprise was gymnastics as Kirsty Caruana won a bronze medal in the Floor Exercise while the women’s team – Kirsty Caruana, Nicole Pace and Adreana Jo Zammit – won bronze in the Team event. In athletics, veteran Carol Walsh won a bronze medal in the 10,000m event whicle Giselle Camilleri placed third in the 5,000m. The men’s 4×400m relay team won the other bronze medal in athletics. In shooting, William Vella won bronze in the Air Rifle event while Clive Farrugia won bronze in the Skeet event. Elaine Genovese and Kim Cassar won a bronze medal in the Women’s Doubles in tennis while Simon Gerada won bronze in the men’s singles in table-tennis.
Malta was also represented at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara by no less than forty-three athletes, who competed in 10 different sporting disciplines. William Chetcuti produced a brilliant display to claim a silver medal, finishing just one clay behind gold medallist Daniele Di Spigno.
For the second year in succession, Aaron Ciantar was declared world champion in the Powerboat P1 Supersport class on board Seagull Chaudron. He was the driver for the team Ukrainian Spirit together with throttleman Angelo Tedeschi and navigator Viktor Shemchuk.
In the MOC Sports Awards, William Camenzuli won the Platinum Award while Aaron Ciantar was presented with a Special Merit Award. Nine Gold Awards were awarded to the women's basketball team, the squash men and women's teams, Darren Vella and Clive Farrugia (shooting - skeet), Nicolai Portelli (athletics), Sue Abela (bowling), Danica Spiteri (triathlon), Charles Degiorgio (horse racing) and Thomas Zammit Tabona (sailing).
by Antoine Busuttil, MaltaMedia Sports Editor
The Games of the Small States of Europe and the Mediterranean Games were the main highlights of 2009 but once again the main focus for many was on football.
Valletta seemed heading towards a second successive BOV Premier League title after suffering just one defeat in fourteen matches between January and early May. However a shock 1-2 defeat to Marsaxlokk allowed Hibernians to move on top just before the final league clash between the Paolites and the Citizens. Valletta needed a win while a draw was enough for Hibernians. The May 24 clash ended in a goalless draw with captain Mario Muscat lifting the coveted trophy.
Further disappointment for the Citizens ensued as they lost the U*BET FA Trophy to Sliema Wanderers on penalties. Hibernians claimed the Euro Cup but they lost the BOV Super Cup to Sliema.In Europe, after several years, Maltese clubs did quite well. Valletta eliminated Keflavik of Iceland after a 3-0 win at home and 2-2 draw in Iceland. In the following round, they held St. Patrick's Athletic in a 1-1 draw away from home but were then eliminated after losing 0-1 at home. Following a narrow defeat in Croatia, Birkirkara held NK Slaven Belupo in a goalless draw at the Centenary Stadium. Similarly Sliema held Maccabi Netanya in another 0-0 draw at Ta' Qali before losing in Israel. Hibernians, on the other hand, suffered two defeats to FK Mogren.
The national team ended its commitments in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers without any points and without scoring any goals. Over the past twelve months, Malta played eleven matches - five friendly games and six World Cup qualifiers. Malta registered a win in a friendly game against Georgia and a draw in the World Cup qualifier against Albania.
In the six World Cup qualifiers, Malta failed to score a goal, suffering fifteen. On the other hand, the boys in red managed to score goals in the friendly matches against Georgia - two, Angola and Bulgaria.
Following the 0-0 draw against Albania at Ta' Qali in February, Malta lost 0-3 to Denmark and 3-0 in Hungary in March. Malta then played a friendly match against the Czech Republic away from home, losing 1-0 in June. In another match away from home, four days later, Malta lost 4-0 to Sweden.
Malta then defeated Georgia 2-0 in a friendly match at Ta' Qali in August and a few days before the game against Sweden at home, the Maltese lost 0-2 to Cape Verde. Against Sweden, Malta suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat. The national team then travelled to Portugal in October, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Angola in a friendly match and 4-0 to Portugal in a World Cup qualifier. Finally in November, Malta lost 1-4 to Bulgaria in a friendly at the Hibs Ground.
Former national defender John Buttigieg was appointed coach of the National Football Team.
The best result in football was however achieved by the Malta Under-17 national team. In a UEFA mini-tournament, the team collected four points to place third. The team secured a place in the Elite Round of the UEFA Under-17 Championship thanks to one of the two places reserved for the best third-ranked teams from the qualifying round. Malta had never before progressed through a round of a UEFA youth competition. Malta lost 0-2 to Northern Ireland in the first match but then bounced back with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands thanks to two penalties by Sacha Borg and Dylan D'Agostino. In the third and final match, the team led by Charles Scerri and his assistant Ramon Zammit was held in a goalless draw by hosts Andorra.
In the Games of the Small States of Europe which were held in Cyprus, there were major disappointments for Malta although there were a few pleasant surprises as well. Malta claimed three gold, five silver and thirteen bronze medals for a total of 21 medals compared to the 30 medals obtained in Monaco in 2007 and 38 medals won in Andorra in 2005.
William Chetcuti secured a gold medal in the double trap event in shooting while Thomas Zammit Tabona secured the first place in the Optimist Class in sailing. The third gold medal arrived in basketball as Santino Coppa’s girls finished on top after beating Iceland, Cyprus and Luxembourg.
Malta won three silver medals in athletics. James D’Alfonso placed second in the 400 metres while Nicolai Portelli finished second in the 200 metres event. The men’s 4×100m relay team won the other silver medal in athletics. In sailing, Maya Podesta won silver after finishing second in the Laser-Radial class while Nazzareno Attard finished second in the Trap event in shooting.
In judo – usually a sport which gives Malta the best results, Malta had to settle for four bronze medals – Marcon Bezzina in th 63kg, Brent Law and Kriss Law in the 66kg and 60kg respectively and Joanna Camilleri in the 57kg. On the other hand, a pleasant surprise was gymnastics as Kirsty Caruana won a bronze medal in the Floor Exercise while the women’s team – Kirsty Caruana, Nicole Pace and Adreana Jo Zammit – won bronze in the Team event. In athletics, veteran Carol Walsh won a bronze medal in the 10,000m event whicle Giselle Camilleri placed third in the 5,000m. The men’s 4×400m relay team won the other bronze medal in athletics. In shooting, William Vella won bronze in the Air Rifle event while Clive Farrugia won bronze in the Skeet event. Elaine Genovese and Kim Cassar won a bronze medal in the Women’s Doubles in tennis while Simon Gerada won bronze in the men’s singles in table-tennis.
Malta was also represented at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara by no less than forty-three athletes, who competed in 10 different sporting disciplines. William Chetcuti produced a brilliant display to claim a silver medal, finishing just one clay behind gold medallist Daniele Di Spigno.
For the second year in succession, Aaron Ciantar was declared world champion in the Powerboat P1 Supersport class on board Seagull Chaudron. He was the driver for the team Ukrainian Spirit together with throttleman Angelo Tedeschi and navigator Viktor Shemchuk.
In the MOC Sports Awards, William Camenzuli won the Platinum Award while Aaron Ciantar was presented with a Special Merit Award. Nine Gold Awards were awarded to the women's basketball team, the squash men and women's teams, Darren Vella and Clive Farrugia (shooting - skeet), Nicolai Portelli (athletics), Sue Abela (bowling), Danica Spiteri (triathlon), Charles Degiorgio (horse racing) and Thomas Zammit Tabona (sailing).