MALTESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HONOURS ATHLETES AT 21ST GALA SPORTS AWARDS
The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) hosted its 21st Gala Sports Awards on Sunday evening, celebrating achievements across two competitive seasons. A total of 173 awards were presented to athletes and teams who excelled internationally during 2023–2024 and 2024–2025.
Special recognition was given to performances at the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE). Bronze awards went to athletics’ Mireya Bugeja, Ian Paul Grech, and Luke Micallef; cycling’s men’s team of Daniel Bonello, Aidan Buttigieg, John Camilleri, Bernard Galea, Andrea Mifsud, and Jacob Schembri; karate’s Heorhii Denysov and Halil Ibrahim Koska; rugby 7s men’s team; shooter Gianluca Chetcuti; and tennis player Alex Degabriele.
Silver awards honoured athletes including Claire Azzopardi, Luke Bezzina, Isaac Bonnici, Nick Bonett, Alessia Cristina, Jemima Farley, Matthew Galea Soler, Beppe Grillo, Jared Micallef, Thea Parnis Coleiro, Rebecca Sare, Martha Spiteri, Janet Richard, and Kurt Zahra. Relay teams in 4x100m and 4x400m also shone, alongside basketball 3x3’s Stephanie Demartino, Danica Galea, Kristy Galea, and Amber Melgoza. Swimming’s women’s 4x100m medley team, artistic swimmer Zea Montfort, table tennis women’s team, and tennis trio Matthew Asciak, Francesca Curmi, and Elaine Genovese were also recognised.
Gold awards celebrated Beppe Grillo and Gina McNamara in athletics, gymnast Sophie St John and Team Malta, swimmer Sasha Gatt, artistic swimmers Ana Culic and Thea Grima Buttigieg, karatekas Luke Galea and Jessica Vella, and table tennis men’s and women’s teams.
Accomplishment awards went to Gina McNamara, Jared Micallef, Matthew Abela, Sam Cassar, Brian Cini, Victoria Schultheis, Thyis Antonelli, Connie and Rebecca Rixon, Colette Sultana, Julian Scerri, Matthea Saliba, Bormla Subbuteo Club, and Samuel Bartolo. Special awards honoured Kayleigh Ellul, Matthew Galea Soler, Matteo Gauci, Claire McNamara, Thea Parnis Coleiro, Rachela Pace, the U15 relay team, and others across badminton, bodybuilding, football, gymnastics, pool, rugby, squash, table football, and weightlifting.
Bronze, silver, and gold awards further recognised excellence in badminton, billiards, bowling, lawn bowls, gymnastics, karate, sailing, triathlon, and weightlifting, with standout names including Sue Abela, Mauro Anastasi, Brian Cini, and Team Boost Stella Maris.
The evening also saw three icons inducted into the Hall of Fame: sports historian Charles Camenzuli, Olympian Jean-Paul Fleri Soler, and the late baseball pioneer Patrick Pace.
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