Malta’s triumphant Double Trap shooters William Chetcuti and Nathan Lee Xuereb were back home yesterday and a large number of enthusiasts gave them a hero’s welcome at Malta International Airport.
Chetcuti won the silver medal and Xuereb placed fourth in the World Cup in Tucson, USA on Wednesday.
The results obtained by these two shooters are a confirmation of the progress being registered in this sport with Chetcuti having won a World Cup competition last year in Beijing.
Competing against most of the world’s top shooters in this discipline, Chetcuti obtained a massive score of 194 – his best ever in competitions overseas. And 15-year-old Xuereb was not far away either, hitting an excellent 191 to finish fourth overall.
Xuereb said yesterday that it was thanks to the guidance of coach Jimmy Bugeja and the help he gets regularly from Chetcuti that he could make such progress.
Chetcuti’s result was not just excellent – it was close to a world record. “I thought of it during the competition, but the most important thing was that I showed consistency as I am preparing for the biggest event of them all – the forthcoming Olympic Games in London.
“I am looking forward with great optimism. After all, in the US World Cup, I was competing against most of the world’s top shooters. That is why I am very happy with what I have achieved,” he said.
Coach Jimmy Bugeja expressed satisfaction at the results obtained by his two athletes. “They go through a lot of sacrifices. It is not just a question of how much they shoot during training. They also go through a lot of physical activity in their preparations, including an 8km run every morning, starting at 6.30am. They have certainly been rewarded for their efforts.
“One of my biggest satisfactions is when my counterparts from different countries ask what I am doing to get such results from these boys. Of course, nothing special is my answer. It is mostly through their dedication and love towards the sport they practice that they have been so successful. I am sure there is still a lot more satisfactions to come in future,” he remarked.
Malta Shooting Federation President Saviour Portelli said he was very happy with the results. “This is not the first time that we have come from abroad with such successes. Now we look forward to something bigger (referring to the Olympics in London in July/August). We simply hope that William will be able to keep his consistency. We are confident that he will be the first athlete to win an Olympic medal for Malta,” he said.
Maltese Olympic Committee president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco was among those who was at the airport to congratulate the shooters on their arrival.
He said: “These were, no doubt, excellent results. We are well aware of the potential of the two shooters especially Chetcuti who is now 27 years old. While he is still considered young, we must also say that Nathan Lee Xuereb’s result gives us a lot of hope with regards to the future of this sport.
“It is great to have the European Olympic Committee chairman telling me that it was quite a rare thing for such a small country to have two shooters among the top six in the world. We must all say ‘well done’ to these two shooters who have made us very proud,” he added.
Farrugia Sacco added: “These two athletes have confirmed that with serious preparation any athlete can reach certain targets especially in individual competitions. I think they should be emulated in all aspects.”