Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/994982
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 JUNE 2018 30 THE Maltese Olympic Com- mittee has announced the con- tingent that will be representing Malta at the forthcoming XVIII Mediterranean Games which will be held in Tarragona, Spain between 22 June and 1 July. The Games will see 11 Maltese athletes join over 4,000 athletes representing 26 National Olym- pic Committees from the three continents surrounding the Mediterranean Sea: Africa (5), Asia (2) and Europe (19). Team Malta will be taking part in athletics, bowls golf, shoot- ing, weightlifting and wrestling. "The Mediterranean Games are considered as a stepping stone for the Olympic Games in the level of competitiveness, with the difference that par- ticipating nations are limited to those countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The level of competition in these Games has therefore increased over the years, "explained Julian Pace Bonello, President, Maltese Olympic Committee. "We are pleased to see our athletes join this international experience from which we are sure they will benefit". The first athletes to com- pete will be those taking part in Shooting and Weightlifting competitions which will kick off on Saturday 23 June. "First of all, the MOC would like to thank the National Fed- erations for their full co-opera- tion with the Director of Sport and the Committee to ensure that athletes followed the guide- lines to achieve the Minimum Qualifying Standard in order to be eligible for consideration, we are confident that they will be giving their best" continued William Beck, Deputy President and Chef de Mission. "We are pleased to note that all athletes and coaches will be accommodated within the same complex. This, I be- lieve is important for moral support especially in view of the timing of these Games which are at the same time as the football World Cup. We hope and trust that the Me- dia, despite the magnitude of the World Cup will still give our athletes their due attention" The MOC contingent will also Include MOC Secretary General Joseph Cassar, Director of Sport Ivan Balzan, Assistant CDM Dr Lucienne Attard and Technical Director Mario Micallef. Julian Rizzo Naudi will be the team's physiotherapist. Team Malta's flag bearer at the opening ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, will be trap shooter Brian Galea, who won bronze medal at the XXI Commonwealth Games held in April 2018. SPORTS MED GAMES Shooter Brian Galea chosen as f lag bearer Maltese contingent for XVII Mediterranean Games announced Team Malta contingent Athletics Lisa Marie Bezzina, Charlton Debono. Official: Ivan Rozhnov Bowls Stefano Farrugia. Official: Stefano Giani Golf Andrew Borg, Daniel Holland, John Junior Micallef Vereslt. Official: Henning Schulze Doring Shooting Eleonor Bezzina, William Chetcuti, Brian Galea. Of- ficials: Frans Bugeja, Jimmy Bugeja Weightlifting Yazmin Zammit Stevens. Official: Jesmond Caruana Wrestling David Galea. Official: Jesmond Giordmaina