Kunsill Malti għall-iSport in collaboration with the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, will be organising the next edition of the SportMalta Awards – L-Għazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali. These awards are the main national sport event of the year where athletes, officials and administrators who distinguish themselves, will be rewarded during a ceremony befitting sport in Malta as a whole.

This prestigious event, which is taking place on Saturday 29 January 2011, will be held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta with live transmission on Television Malta between 8.40pm and 11.00pm. Presenters for this event will include well known TV personalities in the field of sport who are Chris Cauchi and Dorienne Grech.

These awards are about celebrating the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good, passionately embodying the very spirit of sport such as the pursuit of excellence, overcoming challenges, celebrating achievement and sporting excellence and winning against the odds. These awards recognise the achievements of today’s local sports heroes and bring sportspeople together, united in achievement and through the universal language of sport which unites and inspires people.

Kunsill Malti għall-iSport will also be giving due recognition to:

SportMalta Award

The 10 finalists in the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year categories are in the running for the overall SportMalta Award. This will emerge from a voting process involving sports journalists, association delegates and the public.

Local Council Recognition Award

That Local Council who has contributed to sporting initiatives within their community;

State School Recognition Award

That State school who has endeavoured to ensure that its students regularly participate and are involved in sport;

Sport Association Recognition Award

Recognition is given to that sporting body who has contributed to Sport Tourism in Malta by attracting on a regular basis foreign athletes to our shores.

Life Time Achievement Recognition Award

A special award is also given to that individual who has contributed to sport with a life time achievement recognition.

Provisional finalists

The provisional finalists for 2010 were announced as follows:

Sportsman of the Year

The nominees include:

Alex Borg (Snooker), Steve Camilleri (Waterpolo), Willliam Chetcuti (Shooting), Massimo Cremona (Table Football), Etienne Bonello (Cycling), Shaun Bajada (Football), Samuel Deguara (B’Ball), Brad Hindel Deguara (Squash), Mario Bonello (Athletics), Daniel Zahra (Kickboxing), Noel Baldacchino (HorseRacing), Mark Zammit (Triathlon), Hubert Camilleri (Hillclimb), Mark Gauci (Table Football), Mark Cassar (Pistol Shooting), Maurice Formosa (Cycling), Colin Pace (Chess), Simon Giordemaina (Drag Racing),Tony Drago (Snooker), Mark Spiteri (Bowling).

Sportswoman of the Year

The nominees include:

Thoresen Rebecca Brincat (B’Ball), Josephine Grima (B’Ball), Marie Claire Aquilina (Cycling),Eleoner Bezzina (Pistol Shooting), Danica Bonello Spiteri (Cycling/Triathlon), Rebecca Camilleri (Athletics), Sue Abela (Bowling), Marcon Bezzina (Judo), Jessica Pace (Table Tennis), Davina Mangion (Swimming), Amy Micallef (Swimming), Nicole Gatt (Weightlifting), Kimberley Cassar (Tennis).

Official of the Year

Nominations are open to all local referees/umpires/technical officials. The nominees include:

Maria Mifsud Bonnici (Sports Nutrition), Esther Azzopardi (Referee Football), Bernard Vassallo (Referee B’Ball), Joe Caruana Curran (President Billiards and Snooker), Maġ. Antonio Mizzi (President MBA), Frank Camilleri (Secretary MBA), Vincent Degiorgio (Secretary Malta Pool Association), Jesmond Caruana (President Malta, Weightlifting Federation), Mario Dalli (Referee Waterpolo). Massimo Angilleri (Referee Waterpolo), Terry Camilleri (Referee Snooker), Silvio Catania (President International Table Football Sports Federation).

Team of the Year

Birkirkara FC, Valletta FC, Women’s National Basketball Team, Men’s National Basketball Team, National Pool Team, Regatta Senglea, 4 x 100 Men’s Swimming Medley Team, National Team Traithlon, National Team MRFU Rugby, FISEC Games National Swimming Team, Darren Vella/Clive Farrugia (Shooting), Tony Mifsud/Ivan Rizzo (Snooker), National Table Football, Mediterranean Championships Horse Racing Team.

U-17 category

The nominees include:

Colette Sultana (Squash), Daniel Bajada (Table Tennis), Jeremy Saywell (Judo), Nicole Gatt (Athletics), Mark Sammut (Swimming), Maria Sciberras (Athletics), Thomas Farrugia (Athletics), Nathan Lee Xuereb (Shooting), Vella Tamara (Athletics), Andre Agius (Swimming), Rhea Cassar (Swimming), Lucas Pace (Karting), Andrew Galea (Karting), Liam Gauci (Karate), Joe Micallef Stafrace (Golf), Nicole Muscat (Swimming).

Special Recognition for Athlete with Special Needs

The nominees include: Dalli Claudio and Angele Azzopardi

Sporting Event of the Year

The nominees include:

UEFA Executive Meeting organised by the Malta Football Association; European Snooker Championships organised by the Malta Billiards & Snooker Association; Tour ta’ Malta organised by the Malta Cycling Federation; European Athletics Championships organised by the Malta Amateur Athletic Association; International Rugby Conference organised by the Malta Rugby Union; and the EOC Executive Committee meeting and Forum of the International Olympic Committee organised by the Maltese Olympic Committee.