Malta’s top performers in 2019 will be honoured the 2020 Sport Malta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali that will be held on at  Saturday Hilton, Malta St Julian’s.

This year’s ceremony has special significance as apart from being the 60^th edition of these popular awards, also coincides with the 50^th anniversary from the foundation of the Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport.

 

During Saturday's ceremony, a panel of local sports journalists will vote for the winners of the seven categories that are being contested.

Taking a glance at the list of finalists in the seven categories contested, there are only two winners from last year’s edition.

Target shooter Eleonor Bezzina is again in the running for a second successive Sportswoman of the Year Award. She will be up against middle distance runner Lisa Marie Bezzina, tenpin bowler Sue Mercieca, swimmer Mya Azzopardi and weightlifter Yazmin Zammit Stevens.

Karl Izzo is also in contention for the Coach of the Year award and he will be up against futsal’s Gabriel Dobre, Jesmond Caruana (weightlifting), Edward Caruana Dingli (paralympics) and Noel Mercieca (kickboxing).

The Sportman of the Year award will have a new recipient as the five finalists are Jordan Gusman (athletics), Rodney Gatt (horse racing), Keith Azzopardi (kickboxing), Gianluca Chetcuti (shooting) and Scott Muscat (pool).

In the Official of the Year Award category, basketball referee Bernard Vassallo is again in the final along with Julian Bajada (paralympics), Terry Camilleri (snooker), Joe Caruana Curran (acquatic sport) and John Zammit (cycling).

In the two young sportsmen divisions we will too have different winners from last year after both Kija Sultana (squash) and Sara Xuereb (bowling) were not shortlisted for this year’s awards.

The Young Sportsman of the Award will go to one of Kayden Lagana (bowling), Nico Sciberras (shooting), Jake Muscat (waterpolo), Richard Schulteis (sailing) and Jeremy Zammit (athletics).

Mya Azzopardi (swimming), tennis players Francesca Curmi and Helene Pellicano, Sara Chouhal (athletics) and Tenishia Thornton will battle for the female award.

In the Team of the Year Award, snooker duo Tony Drago and Duncan Bezzina are again in the final along with the waterpolo seniors’ national team, bowling duo Sue Abela and Sara Xuereb, Mr Whippy Racing Team (dragracing), Elusive II sailing team and Luxol futsal team.

The local public will have the opportunity to participate in the voting procedure for the People’s Choice Award.

Here, the finalists are Claire Azzopardi (athletics); Antonio Flores (paralympics), Rodney Gatt (horse racing), Tenishia Thornton (weightlifting), Jake Vella (triathlon).

The organisers will also name the best international event to be held in Malta last year.

This year’s ceremony will also have two two-high profile guests.

Hungarian swimming champion Agnes Kovacs, winner of the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, and Gianni Merlo, president of the AIPS, have confirmed their presence for the gala night.

THE FINALISTS

Sportsman of the Year

K. Azzopardi (kickboxing), G. Chetcuti (shooting), R. Gatt (horse racing), J. Gusman (athletics), S. Muscat (pool).

Sportswoman of the Year

S. Abela (bowling), M. Azzopardi (swimming), E. Bezzina (target shooting), L.M. Bezzina (athletics), Y. Zammit Stevens (weightlifting).

Official of the Year

J. Bajada (paralympics), T. Camilleri (snooker), J. Caruana Curran (waterpolo), B. Vassallo (basketball), J. Zammit (cycling).

Coach of the Year 

J. Caruana (weightlifting), E. Caruana Dingli (paralympics), G. Dobre (futsal), K. Izzo (waterpolo), N. Mercieca (kickboxing).

Young sportsman of the Year

K. Lagana (bowling), J. Muscat (waterpolo), N. Sciberras (shooting), R. Schulteis (sailing), J. Zammit (athletics).

Young sportswoman of the Year 

M. Azzopardi (swimming), S. Chouhal (athletics), F. Curmi (tennis), H. Pellicano (tennis), T. Thornton (weightlifting).

Team of the Year

Luxol (futsal), Elusive 2 (sailing), Mr Whippy Racing Team (dragracing), Tony Drago/D. Bezzina (snooker), S. Abela, S. Xuereb (bowling), waterpolo national team.

People’s Choice Award

C. Azzopardi (athletics); A. Flores (paralympics), R. Gatt (horse racing), T. Thorn-ton (weightlifting), J. Vella (triathlon).