Malta is to be represented by a 70-strong contingent – 52 of them athletes – for the forthcoming FISEC Games which are to be held in Nijiregijhaza, Hungary, between 20 and 25 July.
Addressing a news conference yesterday, Bro. Martin, chairman of FISEC Malta, said that once again, several athletes have the opportunity to get their launch onto the international sports scene.
He added that this event has become one of the top items in the international sporting calendar for Maltese athletes, who look forward to take part in what would probably be their first ever experience in the international scene.
He said the committee needed a lot of funds and had to do several sacrifices to be able to take part and he went on to thank the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech who, together with the Minister for Sport, Dr Louis Galea and the Maltese Council for Sport, have recognised the importance of the event.
Bro Martin also emphasised that these Games have also been given due importance by Dr Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, who has also sent his own personal message to the athletes taking part, after being contacted by the international secretary of the association, Gianfranco Selvagi, from Malta.
On his part, PS Fenech, who presented the sum of Lm5,000 to FISEC Malta to send its athletes to the Hungary Games, said this was only a small part of an amount which the government was handing to sports organisations through the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund.
He said that around Lm260,000 had been presented to sports organisations and associations this year and another Lm500,000 has been presented to philantropic associations.
Fenech said it was government’s duty to help sports organisations, especially young athletes who are aiming to become Malta’s representatives in international sport in future.
Another speaker yesterday was David Azzopardi, the technical director, who confirmed that Malta will be taking part in the following disciplines: athletics, swimming, table-tennis, basketball (girls) and handball (boys).
He said they had no medal target, but they were expecting some of the athletes to win some medals, especially in athletics and swimming.
Both he and Bro Martin insisted that this tournament has become the launching pad for the young local athletes who are mostly 13-14 year olds.
The Maltese contingent
Athletics: Alessandra Pace, Monalisa Camilleri, Rebecca Sare, Stephanie Alden, Maria Sciberras, Ezekiel Micallef, Mike Sullivan, Andrew Cassar Torreggiani, Edward John Bonello and Carl Camilleri. Their coach is Lara Gerada.
Swimming: Nicole Cremona, Talisa Pace, Melinda Sue Micallef, Maxine Scerri, Gianella Gauci, Nikki Muscat, Andre Agius, Robert Micallef, Mark Sammut, Beppe Grech, Daniel
Galea, Edward Caruana Dingli and Andrea Agius. Their coach is Gail Rizzo.
Handball (boys): Daniel Tanti, Terence Cassar, Mark Borg, Josef Camilleri, Lyden Zerafa, Peter Naudi, Mihajlo Savic, Maurice Meli, Luke Zammit, Luca Giuliano, Kurt Zerafa, Julian Borg, Robert Cachia, Damian Gargano. Their coach is Joseph Tanti.
Basketball (girls): Kelly Busuttil, Justine Busuttil, Lonneke Calleja, Steffi De Martino, Jean Doughty, Francesca Farrugia, Vanessa Mifsud Tommasi, Rebecca Naudi, Lisa Pace, Leanne Sciberras and Kirstie Tonna. The coach is Sandro Farrugia.
Table-tennis: James Dawson, Andrew Gambina, Daniel Portelli and Jessica Pace. Their coach is David Pace.
Also attending yesterday’s press conference was Louis Borg, vice president of the FISEC international committee.