Steve Camilleri's waterpolo scoring exploits both in Malta and away from our shores seem to have no limits.
Camilleri wrote history in the last European Championship held in Serbia, Belgrade last January finishing as overall top scorer of the tournament hitting 21 goals in two weeks of competition at the Kombank Arena.
With Malta placing a creditable 15th in the competition, Camilleri returned home with a historic individual recognition which shot him straight into the history books of local and foreign waterpolo books.
"Having finished top scorer at the last European Championships in Belgrade is an achievement that I will forever cherish. It is not every day you get to measure yourself against Europe's finest and end up on top. With regards to the European Championship in itself I think it was an overall positive experience and something the whole waterpolo movement should feel proud of. However I feel that waterpolo in Malta is nowhere near reaching its full potential and I can only hope that this was the first step towards one day achieving that," remarked Camilleri
The Maltese talisman's scoring power seems to have no limits. With the local BOV Water Polo Premier Division championship and Knock Out competition heading into the final straights, Camilleri is really enjoying a fine season with his club Neptunes Grimaldi.
He said:"We started the season as the 'outsiders' definitely not as title contenders. With the right mix of determination and hard work we were able to turn that around and we are now heading into the final stages with the belief we can do it."
His four goals against San Giljan Salini Resort in the last BOV Premier Division Pool clash between the two giants of Maltese waterpolo pushed his tally to 40 goals from 13 matches this season.
Camilleri also spoke his views about his exploits away from our shores donning the CC Ortigia number 7 cap in Italy's A1 waterpolo championship. He said: "Last year we were heading into the season as a newly promoted side. It was a learning experience for both myself and the club. The playoffs were challenging but also physically after a long season with a lot of ups and downs. However having come out of that experience on top and having secured our permanence in the top flight will surely help us this season"
CC Ortigia managed to cling on to Italy's Premier A1 division status in the last match of the 2016 season by beating RN Florentia 10-9 in a pulsating match which saw the Maltese shooter score twice. His 53 goals from 23 matches in Italy's top division meant that Camilleri finished 5th overall scorer in the starstudded list of the Italian A1 goal scorers. The "greens and whites" of Ortigia finished 12th in the 14-team top division table.
Having donned the cap of Serbia's 7 times European Champions Vaterpolo Klub Partizan Belgrade in 2008, Camilleri went on to star for RN Bogliasco and then Sette Scogli in the Italian A1, thus completing his eighth season in the nearby peninsula of Sicily.
Camilleri's making has come a long way. At just 15 years of age he made his senior debut for his home club, Neptunes WPSC. Since then, the 28-year-old powerful shooter never looked back and has been a permanent fixture with the Malta national team, Neptunes Grimaldi and Ortigia.
Season 2015 can be regarded as Camilleri's best ever. Sixty one goals in 17 matches is the astounding number of times the powerful shooter hit the back of his opponents' net.
Winner of the ASA Player of the Year Honour on five occasions, a joint record with former Sliema and Malta player Marco Manara, Steve has also featured in the scoring summits of the main local competitions for the past nine years.
His gallant efforts were rewarded with the coveted Sportsman of the Year 2015 accolade in the L-Ghazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali Contest.
His talents on the European stage came to the forefront in 2007 when he finished third best scorer at the European "B" Championships in Manchester.
The powerful shooter has scored an astounding 185 goals from 66 matches for Malta (17.04.2003 - to date)
Meanwhile his scoring skills have no boundaries, skills which have helped our national team reach new heights in recent years in the international waterpolo stage.
Photos: Domenic Aquilina