The Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, hosted a media conference regarding the coming edition of the SportMalta Awards - L-Ghazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali, organised by the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport and the Ghaqda Gurnalisti Sports. This will take place on Saturday, 29th January, at the same venue.

The Event Director, Pippo Psaila, opened the Conference with some logistics. The primary target will include the future generation, the schoolchildren, to the values that sport creates. Scholastic activities are to be manifested in school visits, to embrace the whole spectrum, State schools, Church schools, Private schools and Special schools. The finalists in the Sportsman and Sportswoman categories will outline their profiles and schedules to the youngsters.

Around 4000 posters are to be distributed in all the classes of all the schools. There is also a Mega Event, where about 3000 schoolchildren will gather in the Cospicua Sports Complex, for a special show.

There is also entertainment in the University of Malta Open Theatre, from the foreign artistes, who will be performing on the Gala Night. These will also exhibit their prowess in a main Shopping Centre.

There are going to be public billboard displays in key areas around the island.

The next step will be the Ceremony of the presentation of certificates, to all the finalists, at the same MCC, on Friday, 21st January.

On the Awards Night there will be a pre-show (not televised), for all those invited. Ever body can make use of the Shuttle Service, from the Floriana Park and Ride, both before and after the Awards Night. The service will go on till 12.30am of the next day.

The Program itself, besides the Awards, will have around 65 minutes of pure entertainment. From the local end there are the Hip Hop Franchise, singer, Christina Casolani, and the group, Airport Impressions. There are alos three foreign displays, Freestyle Football, by Ilias Zefzaf, the World VTT trial champion, Thierry Klinkenberg, and Artistic Basketball, by Antoine Jehanne

The Gala Night, to be televised live, on TVM, and will be presented by Dorienne Grech and Chris Cauchi.

The Chairman, Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport, Bernard Vassallo, stressed that this is a national activity, with a cordial joint effort, which brought the best out of both bodies. This will embrace sports persons from all strata of society, established names, young hopefuls, special needs people, and officials. All these have a responsibility as role models to our budding stars.

KMS will be handing out awards to State Colleges, Local Councils and Sports bodies. There is also a Lifetime Achievement Award, and a once-only Special Award to a deserving person.

The SportMalta Awards will be based on the voting by journalists (40%), presidents of sports bodies, live at the Gala Night (40%), and the public in general (20%). Their choices fall on the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year finalists.

The special guest for the Gala Night is none other than the very well known FIA president, Jean Todt, who made a name for himself as a driver, administartor, and finally, president of the Automobile Association.

The President, Ghaqda Gurnalisti Sports, Charles Camenzuli, said that the so-operation shown between KMS and Gh.G.S. is reflected in this edition. It is actually the 40th anniversary of the birth of the previous Ghaqda Kittieba Sports, and the 50th edition of the Ghazliet Sportivi Nazzjonali, started by the late, and lamented, Benny Pace.

It is truly a national event, in that the process of choosing the finalists takes practically the whole year. He also issued a note of warning, in that undue pressure from the finalists and/or family and friends, on the organising body, can result in the disqualification of the athletes in question.

The president stated that the voting documents will be issued shortly to the sports journalists, where attention sjould be paid to the profiles, although these can only be taken as an indication, as other milestones could have been reached by the finalists.

The final five finalists from each category are:

Sportsman of the Year

Mario Bonello - Athletics Christopher Camilleri - Canoeing William Chetcuti - Shooting

Massimo Cremona - Table Football Andre Schembri - Football

Sportswoman of the Year

Sue Abela - Ten Pin Bowling Danica Bonello Spiteri - Triathlon Nicola Borg Costanzi - Canoeing

Rebecca Brincat Thoresen - Basketball Davina Mangion - Swimming

Official of the Year

Esther Azzopardi - Football Jesmond Caruana - Weightlifting Joe Caruana Curran - Billiards & Snooker

Silvio Catania - Table Football Mag. Antonio Mizzi - Basketball

Team of the Year

National Team Basketball Women Shooting - Darren Vella & Clive Farrugia National Team Table Football

National Team Triathlon National Team Horse Racing

Young Athlete of the Year

Daniel Bajada - Table Tennis Nikki Muscat - Swimming Mark Sammut - Swimming

Jeremy Saywell - Judo Colette Sultana - Squash

There is also an award to two Special Needs persons

Claudio Dalli - Athletics Angele Azzopardi - Bowling