Another six members have been inducted into the Maltese Olympic Committee’s Hall of Fame last month. In fact on 12 December, during the Sports Awards ceremony, Oscar Aquilina, Joseph Bajada, Lolly Borg, Karm Borg, Michael Soler and Wenzu Vella were added to the list which increases every year. The award goes on to recognise the efforts of these past sportsmen, some of whom have already passed away, but who have left an indelible mark on Maltese sport by helping to upgrade its image, locally and abroad. Today, this feature is dedicated to the six persons who were inducted last month. Here are their pictures and their profiles.
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Oscar Aquilina
Oscar Aquilina was a highly sophisticated and distinguished gentleman of extraordinary charisma and high integrity with a vision which distinguished him from his peers in the field of sport administration.
He set up the Malta Sports Association and organised various disciplines among sports associations for more than 30 years. Oscar Aquilina was also the President of the Sliema Sport Association and the President of the ASA in the years 1961 and 1962, when a new bright era for this association began.
He was a remarkable personality that graced the development of a sport culture at all levels in Malta. This award was received by his daughter, Mrs Angela Said.
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Joseph Bajada
One of the pioneers of athletics in Malta, wherever there was an athletic meeting organised in Malta, Joseph would be there in the forefront promoting and fostering the development of athletics.
It is thanks to him and a handful of visionary pioneers that athletics today is one of the better structured sports in Malta and a feather in the cap of the Olympic team whenever it goes to participate in multi sports events.
Besides his active role in the administration of athletics as the MAAA President for 24 years, he also held many posts of international prestige following what was an exemplary career as an amateur athlete. This award was received by his daughter, Mrs Jacqueline Faure.
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Larry Vella
Larry Vella is one of Malta’s undisputed top shooter and champion of his generation in a career spanning more than 20 years.
Larry won many competitions on national level but he reached the climax of his career when he was selected to represent Malta in the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games. Larry will always be remembered for his performance in Moscow where he managed 3 straights in a row; 75 out of 75 during the second day of the competition, to finish 11th place.
This was the best result for a Maltese shooter in Olympic Trap. He is remembered as a role model for his peers in his lifetime and a legend through his Legacy. This award was received by his brother, Mr Edwin Vella.
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Michael Soler
Spanning a career over 12 years, Michael Soler was Malta’s foremost and outstanding waterpolo goalkeeper; he was also one of the best players throughout the games’ history. During his career in waterpolo he won every honour the game had to offer.
He represented Malta in major international competitions and prestigious events including among others the Mediterranean Games in Algiers, 1975 and the Mediterranean Games in Split, 1979 where he was also the Malta Captain at these Games.
His name was synonymous with Sliema ASC whom he captained for 4 years and later went on to become the Club’s President.
He was respected for his Sportsmanship and Olympic ideals by friend and foe. He was a member of the Organising Committee of the GSSE Malta 2003 and was also MOC Director of Marketing for the quadrennial 2000 – 2004.
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Karm Borg
A highly versatile footballer, waterpolo player and a fore runner in physical education and sports development in all schools in Malta and Gozo, where he set up the Education Sports division in the Department of Education.
He was also a highly successful football coach and a national waterpolo coach for Malta. His team epic performance against reigning World Football Champions England in 1971, to date remains among the best moments in local football history.
In 1979 he was elected MOC President, a post which he occupied for 12 years. In all he served on the Malta Olympic Committee for 24 consecutive fruitful years.
Under his leadership Malta attained what was a highly prestigious result in the Moscow Games 1980 with Larry Vella’s 11th placing in shooting and in the Los Angeles Games 1984, with another prestigious ninth placing in sailing with Peter Bonello. In 1997 he was awarded the IOC Trophy for his endeavour for the Development of “Sport for All” in Malta.
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Lolly Borg
One of the finest players who were seen in the game of football. His tactical acumen was second to none and made Floriana Ajax first and subsequently Floriana F.C. the leading sides of local football.
Borg became a legend in his own lifetime. In 1948-1949 he led the team to the League, FA Trophy and Cassar Cup Triple and four consecutive League Championships (1949-1954). His international career included playing in Malta’s first-ever international match against Austria in 1956.
An automatic choice for the National XI, he captained the team against some of the best European teams of the era. He also played against Denmark in the Nations Cup, scoring the goal, which gave Malta its very first international victory.
He was an all time great! On retirement he dedicated himself in passing on his skill and vast knowledge of the game by coaching at various levels. A true gentleman in the real sense of the word.
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MIA Olympic Special – What’s On
Thursday, 4 January at 5pm, Friday, 5 January on E22 at 9pm (RPT), Sunday, 6 January on E22 at 10am (RPT) and Monday, 7 January on E22 at 2.30pm (RPT) will feature the following:
Athlete Profile
Marcon Bezzina, 21 years of age (photo), a student and Olympic Scholarship holder currently studying at Bath University (UK). She has won numerous competitions both locally and on an international level, most recent being a Bronze Medal at Judo Commonwealth Championships 2006 in Ireland.
She represented Malta at the last Olympic Games in Athens 2004, and at the last Games of the Small States of Europe in Andorra 2005 she won a Gold Medal.
She is also the current national champion in her category. Find out more about Marcon Bezzina in this interview produced by University communication student Mohit Bindra.
A Year of Sport 2006
A number of features will be highlighted including a short promo entitled “United by the Moment” about the Melbourne Commowenalth Games where the Malta Team managed to take home two prestigious medals – a Silver and a Bronze.
Rebecca Madyson won the Silver medal in Shooting in the Trap discipline and William Chetcuti retained his Bronze medal in the Double Trap. Other features relating to the Beijing Olympic Games, the London Olympic Games and the MOC Sports Awards 2006 will also be included.
The schedule is available every week on www.nocmalta.org and on The Malta Independent newspaper every Tuesday.
Produced in collaboration with E22 and University of Malta, Centre for Communication & Technologies (CCT)
Video Production Students (Video3 - 2006)