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National Lottery plc and the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) are pleased to announce that Brian Cini won the first IZIBET Elite Athlete Award for 2025, covering the months of January and February. Brian Cini, 28, is the runner-up of the World Snooker Federation (WSF) Championship after he was beaten by young Chinese player Yang Gao 5-3 in a highly balanced final. Even though Gao won the opening frame, Cini kept his composure and turned the match in his favour after securing the second and third frame with runs of 67 and 78 respectively. Eventually Gao won the fourth frame, and they went for the interval at 2-2. Both players continued to show a high level of play, but 20-year-old Gao was firmly in control to seal the last two frames. With this victory Yang Gao will have the right to play as a professional player on the [...]

Tommy Wallbank (Atletika – Long Distance Runner) u Caden Tanti (Futbol) huma r-rebbieħa tal-Atlas Atleti Żgħażagħ tax-Xahar ta’ Frar. Tommy Wallbank, li għandu 19-il sena, ħa sehem fin-Nofs Maratona waqt l-40 edizzjoni tal-Lifestar Malta Marathon fejn ġie fl-ewwel post fil-kategorija ta’ taħt it-23 sena, it-tieni atleta raġel u t-tielet fil-klassifika ġenerali. Dan huwa riżultat tad-dedikazzjoni u l-perseveranza li Tommy wera tul is-snin. Lura fis-sena 2021, Tommy kien ġera’ elf (1000) kilometru hekk kif ġera’ kilometru għal kull donazzjoni ta’ €5 b’tifkira tal-ħabiba tiegħu Rebecca Zammit Lupi li kienet ħalliet din id-dinja fl-istess sena wara li ġġieldet il-marda tal-kanċer. Min-naħa l-oħra, Caden Tanti li għandu 16-il sena, huwa l-ewwel plejer żagħżugħ Malti li ffirma kuntratt professjonali ma’ klabb tas-Serje A fl-Italja. Fil-fatt, f’Jannar li għadda ħalla lit-tim ta’ Luxol St. Andrews F.C. sabiex ingħaqad mat-tim ta’ taħt is-sittax-il sena ta’ Genoa u lagħab l-ewwel logħba tiegħu magħhom fi Frar. Madwar [...]

Tommy Wallbank (Athletics – Long Distance Runner) and Caden Tanti (Football) are the winners of February’s Atlas Youth Athletes of the Month Award. Tommy Wallbank, 19, competed in the Half Marathon during the 40th edition of the Lifestar Malta Marathon, where he emerged as the first athlete to cross the finish line in the Under-23 category, the second Maltese male, and third overall. This remarkable achievement is the result of years of dedication and perseverance. Back in 2021, Tommy ran 1000 kilometres as he pledged to run 1 kilometre for every €5 donated in memory of his childhood friend, Rebecca Zammit Lupi, who passed away earlier that year after battling cancer. Meanwhile, Caden Tanti, 16, formerly of Luxol St. Andrew’s Football Club, is the first Maltese male youth player to ever sign a professional contract with an Italian Serie A club. In fact, last January he joined Genoa’s Under [...]