The winners of the SportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali were announced on Saturday evening during a live transmission aired on TVM Sport+ as well as on the Malta Sports Journalists Association’s Facebook page. The 63rd edition saw the return of the finalists and guests back as an audience. The final night started with the Red Carpet hosted by Malta Sports Journalists Association’s General Secretary Lorraine Cunningham and Special Olympics Athlete Gilmour Borg.

Guest speakers during this event included the Minister responsible for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, Hon. Clifton Grima, CEO SportMalta Mark Cutajar and Sandro Micallef, President of the Malta Sports Journalists Association.  Also present ex Maltese Athlete Tanya Blake, President of Hungarian Sports Journalists Association and AIPS Europe Vice President Gyorgy Szollosi, Cyprus Sports Writers Association General Secretary Mikaelo Papadakis, AIPS Europe President Charles Camenzuli, and President of USSI (Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana) Gianfranco Coppola.

As usual. this annual awards ceremony was a collaboration between the Malta Sports Journalists Association and SportMalta, with the backing of the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation.

During the live show hosted by Mario Bonnici and Laurie Pace, a total of 11 honours were announced, seven of which were a result of the votes by the jury. The rest of the awards included the People’s Choice Award, the International Sports Event of the Year chosen by the Executive Committee of the Malta Sports Journalists Association and the other two were given out upon a nomination by Special Olympics.

The honours were won as follows:

Sportsman of the Year – DEJAN GRECH (Eightball Pool)

Sportswoman of the Year – KATRYNA ESPOSITO (Judo)

Youth Athlete of the Year Men – CHAYLON CASTALDI (Blackball)

Youth Athlete of the Year Women – TENISHIA THORNTON (Weightlifting)

Team of the Year – HAMRUN SPARTANS (Football)

Coach of the Year – JESMOND CARUANA (Weightlifting)

Official of the Year – TERRY CAMILLERI (Snooker)

International Sports Event of the Year – Special Olympics Invitational Games

People’s Choice Award - TENISHIA THORNTON (Weightlifting)

Special Olympics Athlete Man Award – GILMOUR BORG (Athletics)

Special Olympics Athlete Woman Award – MIREILLE GILES (Swimming)

Is-Sibt filgħaxija waqt xandira diretta fuq TVM Sport+ u l-paġna ta’ Facebook tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, tħabbru r-rebbieħa tal-iSportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali. It-63 edizzjoni rat lura l-finalisti u l-mistednin tagħhom flimkien ma’ mistednin distinti, bħala udjenza waqt is-serata finali. Din l-attività bdiet bir-Red Carpet ippreżentat mis-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports Lorraine Cunningham u l-atleta minn Special Olympics Gilmour BOrg.

Saru diskorsi qosra tal-okkażjoni mill-Ministru responsabbli mill-Edukazzjoni, Sport, Żgħażagħ, Riċerka u Innovazzjoni l-Onor Clifton Grima, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ SportMalta Mark Cutajar u l-President tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports Sandro Micallef. Preżenti wkoll l-eks atletea Maltija Tanya Blake, il-President tal-Għaqda tal-Ġurnalisti Sportivi tal-Ungerija u l-Viċi President tal-AIPS Europe Gyorgy Szollosi, is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-Għaqda tal-Ġurnalisti Sportivi taċ-Ċipru Mikaelo Papadakis, il-President tal-AIPS Europe Charles Camenzuli, il-President tal-USSI (Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana) Gianfranco Coppola.

Għal sena oħra din is-serata kienet organizzata b’mod konġunt mill-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports flimkien ma’ SportMalta bl-appoġġ sħiħ tal-Ministeru għall-Edukazzjoni, Sport, Żgħażagħ, Riċerka u Innovazzjoni.

Waqt din is-serata finali li kienet ippreżentata minn Mario Bonnici u Laurie Pace ġew mqassma 11-il unur; b’sebgħa fuq votazzjoni tal-ġurija, wieħed fuq vot popolari tal-pubbliku, wieħed għażla tal-Kumitat Eżekuttiv tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports u tnejn fuq suġġeriment ta’ Special Olympics.

L-unuri kollha mqassma kienu dawn:

Sportiv tas-Sena – DEJAN GRECH (Eightball Pool)

Sportiva tas-Sena – KATRYNA ESPOSITO (Judo)

Żagħżugħ tas-Sena – CHAYLON CASTALDI (Blackball)

Żagħżugħa tas-Sena – TENISHIA THORNTON (Weightlifting)

Tim tas-Sena – HAMRUN SPARTANS (Football)

Kowċ tas-Sena – JESMOND CARUANA (Weightlifting)

Uffiċjal tas-Sena – TERRY CAMILLERI (Snooker)

L-Aħjar Attività Internazzjonali tas-Sena – Special Olympics Invitaitonal Games

People’s Choice Award - TENISHIA THORNTON (Weightlifting)

Special Olympics Atleta Maskili – GILMOUR BORG (Atletika)

Special Olympics Atleta Femminili – MIREILLE GILES (Għawm)

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