text: The winners of the SportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali were announced on Saturday evening during a live transmission aired on TVMSport+ 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, CEO Chairmam Prof. Andrew Decelis 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)