Ninety eight sportsmen and sportswomen have been nominated for this year’s MOC Sports Awards. The winners will be announced on Wednesday evening during the ceremony being held at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Floriana, which is to be transmitted live on Melita’s Malta Stars Channel (614) from 8pm.

The evening is now in its 10th edition and is annually organised by the Maltese Olympic Committee. Norman Hamilton is the chairman of the organising committee.

Addressing a news conference yesterday, MOC president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco said 2011 will be remembered as a remarkable year for Maltese sport. He compared it with the results that had been achieved in the Games for European Small States in 1997 and 2003, and added that it was perhaps even better. He added: “We are happy with what the athletes have done and achieved during the past year.”

He thank Norman Hamilton for his professional approach in the organisation of the event as well as MOC Director of Sport Mark Cutajar and his team who had been working very hard towards the success of the evening.

Farrugia Sacco revealed the names of the three Italian guests honouring the local athletes by their presence – Pietro Mennea, Antonio Rossi and Yuri Chechi.

Mennea dominated athletics in the 1970s winning medals at European Championships, Olympics, World University Games and Mediterranean Games, apart from other events. He held the 200m world record of 19.72 secs (set in 1979) for a whole 17 years between 1979 and 1996.

Antonio Rossi was a sprint canoeist who represented Italy in five Olympics during which he won five medals – three golds, one silver and one bronze. He was also Italy’s flag bearer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Jury Chechi is a former well known gymnast who had won the rings title at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. He also won a bronze at the Athens Olympics in 2004, despite having reached the veteran age of 35. For these Games, he was selected as the country’s flag bearer.

Farrugia Sacco also revealed that there will be some legendary persons to be admitted into the Hall of Fame, but the names will only be announced during Wednesday’s ceremony.

Director of Sport Mark Cutajar paid tribute to the large number of athletes who had been nominated. “It was never easy and, at the same time, very difficult. Never easy because of the large number of very good results obtained during the past year (1-11-2010 to 31-10-2011) and difficult because we had to make sure that no one was left out,” he remarked.

He said the nominations included World Cup winners and runners-up, winners at European Championships, those who set world records and others who did the impossible for a good cause. “Next Wednesday we will be celebrating their achievements together,” he said.

Cutajar added he was certain Wednesday’s ceremony will be the best ever to be organised for such an occasion. “Malta is a small country, but we all have a big heart. If we show unity, we can achieve our targets,” he said.

Norman Hamilton, chairman of the organising committee of Wednesday’s ceremony, revealed the names of those taking part in the show, adding that they formed part of the best local talent with some foreigners also being included.

He made a special reference to the two presenters on the night – Vicki Licari and Charles Camenzuli. He said: “Both come from within the Olympic family. The fact that they are both experienced TV presenters is a guarantee for the evening’s success.”

Among the local talents will be Aldo Busuttil, Joseph Chetcuti, Baclava, Tiziana Calleja, Janvil and Glenn Vella. The foreign singers will be Jenny B and Barbara Cola.

Nominated athletes

Athletics

Diane Borg, Rebecca Camilleri, Lisa Bezzina, Alessandra Pace, Nicole Gatt, Kevin Moore, Rachid Chouhal, Owen Camilleri, Martina Xuereb, Charlene Attard, Celine Pace, Francesca Xuereb, Karl Farrugia, Andy Grech, James D’Alfonso, Neil Brimmer, Christian Luke Chetcuti and Nathan Farrugia.

Bodybuilding

Ralph Decelis, Blanche Coppola

Canoe

Christopher Camilleri, Nicola Borg Costanzi, Matthew Schembri, Dorian Vassallo, Albert Gambina

Equestrian

Margot Draper Dalli, Celine Schmid, Thomas Xuereb, Claudio Borg

Gymnastics

Kirsty Caruana, Andreana Zammit, Tara Dalli

Horse-Racing

Michael Sultana

Judo

Marcon Bezzina, Jeremy Saywell, Joanna Camilleri, Brent Law

Open Water swimming

Keith Bartolo

Pool

Clayton Attard, Matthias Mallia, Maverick Zammit, Thorston Grixti

Rowing

Thomas Cremona

Sailing

Artie Crew – Lee Satariano, Chris Ripard, Jan Rossi, Isaac Borg, Matthew Gusman, Peter Valentino, John Cachia, Kurt Casapinta

Otra Vez crew – Edward Gatt Floridia, Aaron Gatt Floridia, Sean Arrigo, Martin Meachen, Denis Gatt, Matthew Tabone, Ben Rogers, Francis Carr

Shooting

William Chetcuti, Nathan Lee Xuereb

Squash

Dianne Desira, Therese Brusson, Annabelle Olivieri Munroe, Colette Sultana, Johanna Rizzo, Brad Hindle Deguara, Joseph Desira, Daniel Zammit Lewis, Carl Camilleri, Mark Lupi, Nigel Dunkerley

Swimming

Nicola Muscat, Talisa Pace, Melinda Sue Micallef, Davina Mangion, Andrew Chetcuti, Amy Micallef

Table-Football

Massimo Cremona, Derek Conti, Samuel Bartolo, Mark Gauci

Table-Tennis

Jessica Pace, Lu Peng Fei, Daniel Bajada, Simon Gerada

Tennis

Matthew Asciak, Nick Camilleri, Kimberley Cassar, Elena Jetcheva

Tenpin Bowling

Mark Spiteri, Neil Sullivan, Tiziana Carannante, Sue Abela

Triathlon

Danica Bonello Spiteri, Keith Galea, Mark Zammit

Weightlifting

Rodmar Pulis

Local Councils

Birkirkara, Floriana, Gharghur, Gharb, Gudja, Qormi, Marsascala, Mellieha, St Lucia and Zurrieq.