SpecialFeature |
| Malta in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games |
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Special Feature |
| Malta in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games |
The Maltese athletes in Sydney
Mario Aquilina - Sailing (Laser)
Aged 24, Mario Aquilina took part in the Small Nations Games in 1997 in Iceland and the Mediterranean Games in Bari. Last July, he won the Trofeo Luigi Grassi in Sicily for the best overall result for the third consecutive year. He is aiming for a place in the upper half of the classification.
Best Performance: A bronze medal in the Small Nations Games in Iceland.
Mario Bonello - Athletics (100m)
Aged 26, Mario Bonello took part in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. He also took part in the last four editions of the Small Nations Games. Sportsman of the Year in 1999.
He has just established a new record for the 100m by hitting a new best timing of 10.64s. Last year, Bonello won two bronze medals in the 200 metres and 4x400 in the Small Nations Games in Liechtenstein. Recently took part in the European Cup - Second League Group B in Slovakia. Although it has not been decided whether he will be taking part in the 100m or 200m, Bonello is aiming at a new national record.
Best Performance: Silver medal in the 200m in the Small Nations Games in Iceland in 1997.
Angela Galea - Swimming (100m butterfly)
Aged, 17, Angela Galea took part in the Small Nations Games in 1999 and the FISEC Games which were recently held in France. Galea broke her first ever national record in the 50 metres butterfly stroke clocking 31.20s which she then improved to 30.84s. In the FISEC Games in France. Angela Galea won two gold medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly and a bronze medal in the 50m butterfly. Last month, she established a new record for the 100m butterfly with a time of 1:07.77. Galea is hoping to establish a new national record in the 100m butterfly in Sydney.
Best Performance: 5th place in the 100m butterfly in the Small Nations Games in Liechtenstein in 1999.
Frans Pace - Shooting (Trap)
Aged 38, Frans Pace took part in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. He also represented Malta in two Shooting World Championships and an European Championship. In 1995, Pace took part in the Commonwealth Shooting Games held in India while earlier this year, Frans Pace hit 116 out of 125 to place eighth in the Pre-Olympic World Cup. Had he managed to hit another two, Pace would have placed among the top six shooters in the world. Also took part in three editions of the Small Nations Games.
Pace won the Olympic selection shoot-out organised by the Malta Shooting Federation and will be taking part in the Sydney Olympic Games after that Malta was awarded a wild-card. In Sydney, he aims at improving the placing he achieved in Atlanta four years ago.
Best Performance: Winning the gold medal in the pairs event together with Horace Micallef in the 1995 Commonwealth Shooting Games in India.
Laurie Pace - Judo (57 kg)
Aged 34, Laurie Pace took part in two editions of the Olympic Games - Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996. She also took part in the Commonwealth Games, three World Championships, four European Championships and four editions of the Small Nations Games.
Laurie Pace has qualified for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games thanks to one of the wildcards which were distributed world-wide. She is aiming at improving over the 16th place in Atlanta.
Best Performance: Bronze medal in the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand - the only medal ever won by a Maltese in the Commonwealth games.
Sue Spiteri - Athletics (100m)
Aged 21, Sue Spiteri is a relative newcomer in the local athletics' scene. Spiteri established a new record for the 200m when she clocked 25.17s in the Clubs' Meeting last month. She took part in the recent Bruno Zauli athletic meeting - European Cup (Second League Group B) in Slovakia. The best female athlete was Suzanne Spiteri, who took part in the 100m and 200m. She ran the 100m in 12.42s and the 200m in 25.55s. Her target is to establish a new national record in the 100m.
Best Performance: Personal best in the 100m in Slovakia and the 200m national record.
John J. Tabone - Swimming (4x100m individual medley)
Aged 20, John Tabone holds twelve out of seventeen national records. He took part in three editions of the Small Nations Games and also in the FISEC Games.
Over the past few months, Tabone improved his own record for the 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 50m breaststroke, 50m freestyle. In the national championships held last month, Tabone clocked 2:02:35 in the 200m freestyle to improve the previous record, which also belonged to him. In Sydney, he is aiming at establishing a new record in the 4x100m individual medley, which is considered as one of the most difficult events.
Best Performance: Various National records including two in the 200m and 400m IM in the FISEC Games.
Coaches
Mr Donato Sabia - Athletics
Mr Attila Selmeci - Swimming
Mr Sergei Teliouk - Judo
Mr Peter Croft - Shooting
Mr Peter Valentino - Sailing
Photos by courtesy of the Malta Olympic Committee
Malta in Sydney 2000 - Main Page
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