MOC Elite Athlete Darren Gilford and Aspirant Athlete Therese Mallia are currently in the UK having competed at the Midlands Counties Athletics Association Indoor Championships which took place the past weekend at the HPC, Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Darren Gilford competed in the 60 metre event for which he currently holds the national record, standing at 6.76 seconds. Therese Mallia also competed in the 60 metre event – the national record currently stands at 7.76 seconds and is held by Charlene Attard.
Gilford has also been invited to participate in the European Indoor Trials and UK Championships which are taking place in Sheffield over the coming weekend.
These trials are in preparation for the first major championship: the European Indoor Athletics Championship which takes place in Birmingham in March.
The trials are taking place in Sheffield and the best UK athletes will have the chance to book their places in the team over two days of quality competition in Sheffield.
The first athletes past the post in each event can be sure their selection, provided they possess the qualifying standards. The meeting also decides the national champions in each event.
Apart from taking part in the two competitions mentioned, Gilford is also taking part in a training camp – his objective is to try and qualify for the forthcoming European Indoor Athletics Championships which takes place in Birmingham in March. Darren is accompanied by his coach Jivko Jetchev.
These competitions and training camps are also made possible with the assistance of the Athlete Support programmes of the Maltese Olympic Committee.
Huber workshop organised by SERC
Recently the Sports Exercise and Rehabilitation Centre (SERC) located at St James Hospital Sliema organised a two day workshop on the HUBER rehabilitation and exercise machine. Mr Jerome Buttois of LPG systems illustrated to the attending doctors, physiotherapists and fitness instructors the various benefits the HUBER machine offers their patients and clients.
The HUBER machine is capable of stimulating the deep muscles of the back and other infrequently used muscles to optimise major functions of the entire body such as balance, coordination, mobility, posture and stability. HUBER can also help with various medical conditions, including scoliosis, low back pain, joint replacement rehabilitation, neurological conditions such as strokes or purely for body conditioning.
However, the HUBER machine also serves a major role for sportspeople helping them prevent injuries and to ameliorate their performance. World class skiers, golfers, footballers and rugby players are all reaping the benefits of the HUBER machine and SERC intends to offer its use not only to the patients utilising the center’s various treatment options but also to the Maltese sporting population whether they want to better their performance or to get fit in an original and effective way.
Association NEWS: Malta Karate Federation
Nine medals and overall third placing in British Open
Members of the Malta Karate Federation succeeding in winning nine medals for an overall third placing at the prestigious British International Karate Open held in Surrey, England, last month.
The Malta Karate Federation was invited to take part in, and attended the 18th edition of the highly acclaimed Karate Open which was organised under the patronage of the British Karate Federation which, like the Malta Karate Federation, is also directly affiliated to the World Karate Federation.
The event attracted 550 athletes from 70 different organisations within 16 countries. These included the eight athletes forming the Malta team.
Wilfred De Battista, a member of the Malta Karate Federation’s Executive Committee, was the head of delegation of the Maltese contingent.
He was very pleased with the whole organisation of the event and the level of karate displayed by the athletes participating in all the different categories.
The Maltese athletes achieved remarkable results. In all, the Maltese athletes won 4 gold and 5 bronze medals.
Moreover the team achieved third overall placing in the whole competition. The medals were won as follows:
GOLD
• Dylan Hales – Kata
• Kimberly Stanton – Kata
• Aaron Sammut – Kumite (Cadets – 15-16 years)
• Luca De Battista, Dylan Hales & Tyler Tanti – Team Kata
BRONZE
• Luca De Battista – Kata
• Joseph Galea – Kumite (Juniors – 18-20 years)
• Chris Rotin – Kata
• Tyler Tanti – Kata
• Luca Debattista, Dylan Hales & Tyler Tanti – Team Kumite
All results can be viewed on the organisers’ official website www.britishkarate.com or from the MKF website www.maltakarate.com.
For the past months, the team had been following a strict training schedule under the direction of national coaches Sensei James Galea, Sensei Joe Tanti and Sensei Jason Edwards.
The latter two accompanied the Maltese contingent to the UK, and were instrumental in leading the athletes to obtain such good results.
MKF Technical Director Sensei Anthony Zammit was also present for this competition and was invited to officiate and form part of the refereeing panel.
Sensei Anthony was also proclaimed Most Out-standing Official of the competition.
Besides having Mediter-ranean qualifications at all refereeing levels (Kata & Kumite), Sensei Anthony has also recently obtained qualification of Kata Judge “A” from the World Karate Federation, in addition to his existing World Judge “B” qualification in Kumite.
Terry Pottage, a member of the World and European refereeing commissions and examiners, was in charge of all the refereeing commissions during this event.
This all augurs well for Karate within the Malta Karate Federation.
MKF President, Kenneth Abela, added that it clearly shows that when careful investment is undertaken in promising athletes, positive results will be reaped.
He encouraged the athletes to continue training hard and congratulated them on their success.
MIA Olympic Special – What’s On
The broadcasts of Thursday 8 February on TVM at 5pm, Friday 9 February on E22 at 9pm (rpt), Sunday 11 February on E22 at 10am (rpt) and Monday 12 February on E22 at 2.30pm (rpt) will feature the following:
GSSE Section – Judo
The Games of the Small States of Europe will be taking place from 4 to 9 June 2007 in Monaco. Maltese judo athletes have competed in all 11 editions of these games since the first edition which took place in Andorra back in 1985. Malta’s first medal in judo was a bronze medal at the Monaco Games in 1987 when Stephen Farrugia placed 3rd in the 65kg category.
The first judo gold medal was won by Jacqueline Xuereb at the Malta 1993 Games. Since then Malta has won a total of 9 gold, 17 silver and 22 bronze medals.
Athletes preparing for the next edition of these games include IOC scholarship-recipient Marcon Bezzina who took a gold and a silver medal at the last games in Andorra; aspiring athletes will include Joanna Camilleri and Brent Law. Find out more about the preparations for the Maltese judo team in this feature.
Featured event
The 2007 Cycling race season will kick off on 4 February with the classic season opener Qormi to Dingli Individual Time Trial under the auspices of the Malta Cycling Federation. Find out in this feature what happened at this event.
MOC Director
Julian Pace Bonello is the Maltese Olympic Committee’s vice-president. He has been a member of the MOC’s Management Board and Executive Committee since the end of 2001.
As vice-president he also takes on the role of acting president in the absence of the incumbent. He is also responsible for the functioning and co-ordination of all the commissions of the MOC.
The MOC commissions consist of the Women in Sport, Athlete’s, Medical, Legal, Sport, Anti-doping, Youth and Marketing commissions. In addition he is also responsible for the MOC website, the IT section, and the MOC representation in the European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation body (ENGSO). Find out more about the role of vice president in this short interview with Mr Julian Pace Bonello
Highlight events
This week’s highlights will focus on a Gymkhana Equestrian event organised by the La Vallette Riding Club and endorsed by the Malta Equestrian Federation which took place last Saturday.
The schedule is available every week on www.nocmalta.org and on The Malta Independent newspaper every Tuesday.
Produced in collaboration with E22.
Malta Squash has two new local Level 2 ESF coaches
Ivan Balzan and Steven Rizzo have recently returned from Vienna where they attended a coaching course and examination organised by the European Squash Federation.
Running the course was David Campion – a Level 4 coach who currently coaches the Under 19 English national squad. The course was of a high level and both local coaches have managed to pass their assessments and are now the first local Level 2 ESF squash coaches.
Both coaches are being sponsored by Wilson through local agent Gordon Asciak whose outlets can be found at San Gwann and at the Marsa Sports Club.
These two investitures, together with that of Liz Said who passed her Level 1 ESF last December, and the availability of a further four club coaches, will ensure that Malta Squash is now able to field coaches in all clubs on the island.
Ivan and Steve will be appointed national team coaches and will prepare the local players for the European Squash Small Nations tournament being held this year in Iceland and the European Nations Cup being hosted by Latvia also this year.
Both coaches will now be able to actively take part in the Junior Development Scheme kindly sponsored by the Malta International Airport (MIA) through the Malta Sports Council.
The Elite Juniors, namely Colette Sultana, Mark Seychell, John Cushcieri and Ryan Rizzo are currently undergoing intense weekly training through this scheme. Colette Sultana and Mark Seychell will be travelling to Vienna to be the first juniors to take part in an overseas European tournament.
Anyone interested in coaching should send an e-mail to [email protected]. Malta Squash thanks the Malta Olympic Committee, Malta Sports Council, Malta International Airport for their continuous support.