The Mediterranean Games in Almeria, Spain, are set to get under way officially this evening with the Opening Ceremony at the Mediterranean Stadium.

Young shooter William Chetcuti, a gold medal winner at the Andorra Games for European Small States earlier this month, will be leading the Maltese contingent at the march past as Malta’s flag bearer.

Eighteen of the 29 athletes taking part are members of the Olympic football team or rather, most of the MFA’s Under 21 squad, which started its adventure last night with a difficult qualifying match against Spain.

The Chef de Mission Pippo Psaila said last week he is expecting more successes from this contingent, even if the Games are on a higher level than that in the Small Nations Games.

He said he and the MOC were confident that the Maltese would give a very good account of themselves in these Games adding that he expected the contingent to bring back home some medals.

Even the MOC president, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco is hopeful this time that the Malta national anthem will also be heard in these Games for the first time. “The opportunity is there for the taking. It is the result of the work done by everyone during the last nine years. We have achieved good results in all disciplines. We must continue pulling the rope together to be able to reach our goals,” he said during last week’s conference.

Farrugia Sacco gave the contingent in Almeria a further boost on Wednesday evening when he was elected to sit on the Games’ Executive Committee.

This is the 15th edition of these Games and 21 countries will be represented with around 4,000 athletes taking part in 24 different disciplines.

The countries hail from three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa.

Malta is also taking part in a Youth Camp during the Games, wherein it will be represented by athletes Sarah Vella and Christopher Camilleri.

The Maltese contingent

MOC officials

Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, president, Pippo R. Psaila, Chef de Mission, Joe Cassar, Secretary general, Julian Pace Bonello, Asst. Chef de Mission, David Azzopardi, Director of Finance, Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace, Director of Marketing.

Football

Officials: A. Gambin, masseur, Silvio Vella and Edwin Camilleri, coaches, Dr Stephen Zammit, doctor, Lawrence Ellul.

Players: Andre Agius, Edmund Agius, Matthew Bartolo, Steven Bezzina, David Camenzuli, Dyson Falzon, Clayton Failla, Paul Fenech, Kenneth Spiteri, Andrew Hogg, Alex Muscat, Bernard Paris, Jonathan Pearson, Joe Sammut Vasquez, Ryan Fenech, Mark Gauci, Andrew Scerri.

Swimming

Official: Istvan Kormos

Athlete: Angela Galea.

Golf

Coach: Alex Mangion.

Player: Andy Borg.

Shooting

Officials: Jimmy Bugeja, coach, Saviour Portelli.

Athletes: William Chetcuti, Emmanuel Grima.

Judo

Official: Nicolangela Fetto, coach

Athlete: Marcon Bezzina

Wrestling

Official: Jesmond Giordemaina, coach

Athlete: Abraham Vassallo

Athletics

Official: Ralph Mifsud

Athletes: Carol Galea, Rashid Chouhal, Darren Gilford, Mario Bonello, Jeandre Mallia.