A state of the art tennis complex comprising of eight courts and a base for the Malta Tennis Federation is going to be constructed in Pembroke, while a brand new complex catering for squash and weightlifting is also going to be constructed at the Marsa Sports Complex as Malta starts preparing for the 2023 Small Nations Games.
Announcing the projects at the site where the new tennis complex will be constructed in Pembroke, Sport Malta CEO Mark Cutajar explained the importance of these projects in the grand scheme of improving Malta’s level in different sports, saying that this new infrastructure would give Maltese athletes the opportunity to train and improve in a professional environment and would make it possible for federations to hold international-level tournaments in the country.
The tennis complex is situated adjacent to the Melita FC Sports Ground and will comprise of eight tennis courts and a clubhouse for the Malta Tennis Federation to operate out of. Preparations are moving swiftly, Cutajar said; the federation already has the necessary permits in hand to start works.
The complex at Marsa meanwhile will take the place of existing netball and basketball courts, adjacent to a tract of land which was recently given to Marsa FC for the construction of a football ground. Cutajar explained that the squash complex – which will be used as a venue for the 2023 Small Nations Games – will comprise of six singles courts and two doubles courts along with other ancillary facilities.
The complex will also comprise of a weightlifting centre which will increase the capacity for training and also make it possible for the Malta Weightlifting Association to host mid-level international tournaments there. The complex will also hold a new fitness centre operated by Sport Malta which all athletes irrespective of their level can benefit from at greatly reduced prices, while the netball and basketball courts that are being lost through the building of the complex will be re-made on the roof of the new building.
Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima said at the launch that success in sport does not come out of nothing, but it needs an ambitious plan that looks at the situation in the mid and long term.
He said that it is a known secret that the government and Sport Malta are in discussions with various sports federations and associations to identify what improvements are necessary. He said that there must be investment in both the infrastructure and the athlete himself, adding that the next step was to have full-time sports coaches that can identify and work on the sporting talent that our islands possess.
He said that it is always a challenge to utilise the country’s resources in the most efficient and effective manner, but with projects such as the aforementioned interest in sport will continue to grow, attract new talent, and improve Malta’s quality of life as well.
Sport Malta chairman Luciano Busuttil meanwhile said that these projects had been long in the pipeline but, as with many other projects, it would not have been possible without government intervention. He said that the government had an obligation to provide proper facilities for training and opportunities for children to be attracted to different sports.
Members of each respective sport; tennis player Elaine Genovese, President of the Malta Squash Association Liz Said, and Coach and President of the Malta Weightlifting Association Jesmond Caruana, all addressed the press conference lauding the new facilities and indicating the improvements that this investment will make to their respective sports.