MOC cautiously upbeat about achieving the 'unthinkable'

For several years, the possibility of a Maltese athlete winning an Olympic medal was dismissed as unthinkable.

However, with the 2004 Olympics only a few weeks away, the atmosphere within the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) is refreshingly upbeat, especially after the impressive results achieved by double-trap shooter William Chetcuti.

Last month, the 19-year-old hit a world junior record score of 192 en route to striking gold in the European Junior Championships in Cyprus.

On Tuesday, Chetcuti obtained another excellent result when winning the juniors category at the International GP in the Czech Republic.

These results have lifted the expectations of the MOC officials who are sensing that the ersthwhile 'impossible dream' of a first medal in the Olympics could be possible in Athens.

Yesterday, MOC president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco made official the names of the seven athletes who will represent Malta in the Athens Games, starting on August 13. Joining Chetcuti on the MOC's Olympics list are middle-distance runner Tanya Blake, sprinter Darren Gilford, judoka Marcon Bezzina, sailor Mario Aquilina and swimmers Angela Galea and Neil Agius.

"The Olympic Games being the most important sporting event in the world, the MOC was duty-bound to offer our athletes the best preparation," Farrugia Sacco told a news conference at their premises inside the National Pool complex at Tal-Qroqq.

"With the the help of IOC, EOC, CONI (Italian Olympic committee) and the Mediterranean Games body, our athletes could train and compete in international competitions."

Farrugia Sacco made no bones about the MOC's cautious optimism that these 28th Olympiad could procure Malta an unprecedented medal.

"We must admit that deep down, we all dream that something extraordinary could be achieved in Athens," Farrugia Sacco said.

"However, our feet are firmly rooted to the ground. We know that we have some excellent talent in our squad but this is no guarantee for success.

"A few years back, Pippo Psaila (the former MOC Director of Sport) had predicted that Malta would win its first Olympic medal in Beijing 2008. We still believe that we are on the right track but I just hope that my friend Pippo's forecast materialises four years earlier," the MOC chief added with a smile.

The Maltese contingent for Athens, headed by Farrugia Sacco, will depart on August 11 but some athletes will reach Greece a few days before to acclimatise with the conditions.

Accompanying the MOC president will be secretary Joe Cassar, Chef-de-Mission Marie Therese Zammit who will be assisted by Julian Pace Bonello, Director of Sport David Azzopardi and Director of Finance Peter Tortell.

For Zammit, this will be her second experience as Malta's Chef -de-Mission after she was in charge of the Maltese contingent in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

"All athletes have been undergoing intensive training programmes and participated in international competitions," Zammit said.

"Marcon Bezzina is currently practising in Italy under coach Alfredo Monti. Galea is also making her final preparations for the Olympics in Italy. She is training under the guidance of a CONI coach who will also supervise the final conditioning of Neil Agius.

"Blake is training in the US but will come to Malta before our departure to Athens. Gilford has just returned from international competition and Aquilina recently gained a fourth placing in the Copa de Espana which was contested by the top sailors in Spain.

"As far as Chetcuti is concerned, the great results he has achieved abroad have been given due prominence by the local media. With the expert tutelage of his coach Jimmy Bugeja, we hope that Chetcuti extends his fine form to the Olympics," Zammit added.

Minister for Education, Louis Galea praised the work undertaken by the MOC in preparing our athletes for international competitions.

"These athletes are seen by our children as their role models and it is important that the government continues to support their bold efforts to achieve success for themselves and for their country," Galea said.

At the end of the news conference, Franco Azzopardi, president of the Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport, presented a cheque of Lm70,000 to Farrugia Sacco. This is the first payment from the government's funds to the MOC which this year amounts Lm110,000.

Malta's schedule...

Athletics
T. Blake - 800m Aug. 20
D. Gilford - 100m Aug. 21

Judo
M. Bezzina - 57 kg Aug. 16

Sailing
M. Aquilina - Laser Aug. 15-22

Shooting
W. Chetcuti - Double Trap Aug. 17

Swimming
A. Galea - 100m fly Aug. 14
N. Agius - 400m free Aug. 14