IZIBET Elite Athlete Award

National Lottery plc and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) are pleased to announce that Gianluca Barbara won the first IZIBET Elite Athlete Award for 2024, covering the months of January and February. Gianluca Barbara, 34, forms part of the Maltese club Iron Taekwondo League who participated in the Open de Liege 2024 in Belgium, featuring 700 athletes. In the 80 kg Masters Category, he won the gold medal against Dutch Norman Hornberger and secured his second consecutive international gold medal. “It is a great pleasure for us to support athletes that are in search of excellence in their sport,” said Franco de Gabriele, Chief Commercial Officer of IZI Group. “The achievements of Gianluca in such a competitive discipline are just the tip of the iceberg. One would need to appreciate and support the arduous process that is involved in making sure that such achievements are attained. We [...]

National Lottery plc u l-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, bi pjaċir iħabbru li Gianluca Barbara rebaħ l-ewwel unur tal-IZIBET Elite Athlete Award li jkopri x-xhur ta’ Jannar u Frar 2024. Gianluca Barabara li għandu 34 sena, jagħmel parti mit-tim lokali Iron Taekwondo League li ħa sehem fl-Open de Liege fi Frar li għadda. B’kollox ħadu sehem 700 atleta. Fil-kategorija tal-Masters tat-80 kg, Barbara rebaħ il-midalja tad-deheb kontra l-Olandiż Norman Hornberger u b’hekk kiseb it-tieni midalja tad-deheb internazzjonali konsekuttiva. “Huwa ta’ pjaċir kbir għalina li qed nappoġġaw l-atleti Maltin li qed ifittxu li jiksbu l-eċċelenza fid-dixxiplina rispettiva taggħhom,“ qal Franco de Gabriele, Chief Commercial Officer ta’ IZI Group. “Is-suċċess mkisub minn Gianluca Barbara f’din il-kompetizzjoni hija biss qatra f’oċean! Hemm bżonn li jiġu apprezzati u megħjuna l-isforzi kontinwi li jwasslu għar-riżultati miksuba. Nawguraw lil Gianluca Barbara aktar suċċess fil-futur u li jkompli jkun ta’ ispirazzjoni għall-atleti l-oħra.” Il-President tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport [...]

National Lottery plc u l-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports, ħabbru li Lisa Marie Bezzina rebħet ir-raba' unur tal-IZIBET Elite Athlete Award li jkopri x-xhur ta’ Novembru u Diċembru 2023. L-atleta Maltija Lisa Bezzina rebħet għall-ħames darba n-nofs maratona tan-nisa li saret nhar il-Ħadd 17 ta’ Diċembru 2023 f’Pisa, l-Italja. Bezzina rnexxielha tirbaħ din in-nofs maratona f’ħin ta’ siegħa 21 minuta u 44 sekonda. Din kienet l-aħħar tellieqa staġjonali tagħha fejn kisbet l-aħjar ħin u waslet 18-il sekonda qabel l-atleta Brażiljana Jocasta Oliboni Da Luz. "L-apprezzament u r-rikonoxximent tal-ħidma atletika bħal dik ta' Lisa Marie Bezzina hu l-għan ewlieni tal-premju IZIBET Elite Athlete Award," ikkummenta Franco De Gabriele – Chief Commercial Officer tal-IZI Group. "It-twaqqif ta' dan il-premju flimkien mal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sports sar bil-għan li nirrikonoxxu d-determinazzjoni u l-isforzi tal-atleti bħal Lisa Marie. L-għan tagħna huwa li ngħinu sabiex tigi kkultivata l-kultura tal-eċċellenza fl-isport, kultura li Lisa Marie tgħix kuljum." Min-naħa [...]

National Lottery plc and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) are pleased to announce that Lisa Marie Bezzina won the fourth IZIBET Elite Athlete Award, covering the period November – December 2023. Lisa Marie Bezzina obtained her fifth success at the Pisa Half Marathon held on Sunday 17th December 2023. She crossed the finish line in first place in one hour, 21 minutes and 44seconds, 18 seconds ahead of Brazilian runner Jocasta Oliboni Da Luz. For Bezzina this was her new seasonal best. “Celebrating and recognizing the achievements of athletes like Lisa Marie Bezzina is the essence of the IZIBET Elite Athlete award,” commented Franco De Gabriele – Chief Commercial Officer of the IZI Group. “The creation of this award together with the Malta Sports Journalists Association was purposely done to recognise the determination and efforts of athletes like Lisa Marie. Our aim is to further the culture [...]