So, as I see it – and my knowledge of sports disciplines and rules is zilch – just eight points separated Malta’s shooter, William Chetcuti, and the man who eventually won gold in the double trap event at the Olympics, Peter Wilson of Britain. The latter, as I understand it, ended on 143 points in the qualifying shoots before the afternoon’s final. Even the Briton apparently missed seven of his shots.

Mr Chetcuti ended the qualifying round on 135 points. Not bad, for a 27-year-old from minuscule Malta. He was our best hope for an Olympics medal, we are told. I am not much of a sports fan, I do not even know if Malta was ever represented in any Olympics final, though I believe not.

To have been in the final would already have been a considerable achievement. And as a finalist, Malta would have got plenty of worldwide publicity, for free.

How did Mr Chetcuti get so close? Did he ever receive any financial assistance – I understand it is an expensive sport, though perhaps not as expensive as other disciplines. Has he ever had any formal training, by an experienced trainer, preferably with Olympic experience, I mean? Such a trainer would show him the tricks Mr Chetcuti might not be aware of.

Or did Mr Chetcuti achieve his result through sheer perseverance, and love of the sport?

It was a golden opportunity, the pun is intended, for the Tourism Authority to spend a few tens of thousands to help Mr Chetcuti with formal training, even for just a few months, which could have helped him make it to the final and, who knows, a medal as well. We crave even a bronze so badly.

Our authorities waste money on such a grand scale, could not they have spared a few hundred thousand to get a trainer for him, or to send him abroad for formal training?

The money would be recouped in free publicity for the country.

Mr Chetcuti would have fought tooth and nail to achieve results – even the thought that he would be the first, and possibly only for ever, Maltese Olympic medal winner, would drive him. The money would have been very well spent.

But we treat our genuine achievers so shabbily. One newspaper had Mr Chetcuti from Manikata, a website had him from Pietà. We do not even know his actual birthplace, apparently. Though Malta is so tiny.

■ Roger Mifsud

Rabat