The Maltese contingent for the forthcoming London Olympic Games between 27 July and 12 August was announced yesterday by the Maltese Olympic Committee.
Athletes representing Malta will be Double Trap shooter William Chetcuti, athletes Diane Borg and Rashid Chouhal as well as swimmers Nicky Muscat and Andrew Chetcuti.
The contingent will also include the three coaches – Jimmy Bugeja (shooting), Mario Bonello (athletics) and Andy Colbourn (swimming).
MOC vice president Julian Pace Bonello will be the Chef de Mission. His assistant will be Mark Cutajar, Director of Sport. Also travelling to London will be Dr Lucienne Attard from the Medical Department, and MOC Finance Director David Azzopardi.
MOC president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco and secretary general Joe Cassar will also be forming part of the contingent.
Cutajar said yesterday that apart from Chetcuti who had won his place by qualifying directly after winning a World Cup event, the others had to survive some tough and healthy competition, especially Diane Borg, where she was given a serious challenge by Charlene Attard and Rebecca Camilleri who were very close. The fact that only last Saturday Diane also set a new national record goes on to show what kind of preparation the athletes have been undergoing to reach their maximum levels.
Cutajar added that Rashid Chouhal is passing through what he described as the athlete’s best moment in his career, registering times never heard before.
He also praised the swimmers Nicky Muscat and Andrew Chetcuti who had achieved very good results recently, including setting up new national records.
Cutajar said that Chetcuti is just back in Malta after attending a training camp in England. The athletes are also attending a training camp in England, while the swimmers are to go to London first, attending a training camp before joining the rest of the contingent at the Olympic Village on 26 July. At present Chetcuti is in South Africa training with that country’s national team.
The Chef de Mission, Julian Pace Bonello, said the MOC only has to finalise some small details before the start of the Games.
However, he said that they were still had hopes of making additions to the number of athletes in the contingent. He said: “We have applied for invitations in judo (for Marcon Bezzina) and sailing (49ers - Sebastian Ripard and Benji Borg and Laser - Maya Podesta). We have had no answer yet from the organisers or the International Federations. Even in shooting we applied for an invitation in the Trap event, but here it now seems certain that our request will not be accepted.”
Pace Bonello added that the MOC was sure that the athletes and officials will be comfortable in their apartments in the Olympic Village which will be hosting around 17,000 athletes and officials during the games.
Joe Cassar, MOC secretary general, said everything seems to be in place as the English capital is eagerly awaiting the start of the 2012 Games.
He went on to say that there will be 302 events in 26 different sports disciplines during the games which will be the third being held in London. The other two editions there were held in 1908 and 1948.