Nicolai Mallia (Bowling) and Matthew Galea Soler (Athletics) are the winners of July’s Atlas Youth Athletes of the Month Award.

Nicolai Mallia, at just 15 years old, is the National Champion, the youngest bowler ever to achieve this title. In fact, he was challenged by fellow past Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Kayden Laganá, but Mallia delivered an impressive 263.6 average over the last five games to surpass Laganá.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Matthew Galea Soler, who had already won the award in July 2022, broke the national 400-metre record in two successive runs at the FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire) Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. First in 46.82 seconds and then in 46.63 seconds, making him the first young Maltese athlete to qualify for the FISU semi-final.

The Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award was presented to the winners by Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director and CEO of Atlas Insurance. The Malta Sports Journalists Association was represented by Administrator Stephen Azzopardi.

This award is a joint initiative of the Malta Sports Journalists Association and Atlas Insurance. The adjudicating panel of this award takes note of all the youths’ achievements of the month under review and at the same time it invites local sport associations and federations to send in their nominations for consideration if they feel that any of their under-21 athletes have distinguished themselves during that month. All the monthly winners are eligible for the annual award.

Nominations for this award may be sent via email to info@maltasportsjournalists.com. The rules and regulations of the award can be viewed on the website www.maltasportsjournalists.com

Nicolai Mallia (Bowling) u Matthew Galea Soler (Atletika) huma r-rebbieħa tal-Atlas Atleti Żgħażagħ tax-Xahar ta’ Lulju.

Nicolai Mallia ta’ 15-il sena rebaħ il-Kampjonat Nazzjonali tal-Bowling u sar l-iżgħar bowler li qatt rebaħ dan it-titlu. Huwa kellu sfida sal-aħħar minn Kayden Laganà, li rebaħ l-Atlas Atleta Żagħżugħ tax-Xahar aktar kmieni din is-sena. Eventwalment Mallia qabeż lil Laganà u ġie fl-ewwel post hekk kif kellu medja inkredibbli ta’ 263.6 fuq l-aħħar ħames logħbiet.

Min-naħa l-oħra Matthew Galea Soler li għandu 19-il sena u li rebaħ dan l-unur f'Lulju tal-2022, kiser żewġ rekords nazzjonali fl-400 metru waqt l-edizzjoni tal-FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire) li saret f'Rhine-Ruhr fil-Ġermanja. Huwa kiseb ħinijiet ta' 46.82 sekonda u 46.63 sekonda, u sar l-ewwel atleta żagħżugħ Malti li wasal sas-semifinali ta' din il-kompetizzjoni.

Il-preżentazzjoni tal-unur tal-Atlas Atleta Żagħżugħ tax-Xahar lir-rebbieħa saret minn Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director u CEO ta’ Atlas Insurance. F’isem l-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport kien hemm preżenti l-Amministratur Stephen Azzopardi.

Dan il-premju ta' kull xahar jingħata b'inizjattiva konġunta bejn l-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport flimkien ma' Atlas Insurance. Il-panel li jiġġudika r-rebbieħa ta' dan il-premju jieħu nota tas-suċċessi miksuba matul dak ix-xahar u fl-istess ħin jistieden lill-assoċjazzjonijiet u federazzjonijiet sportivi sabiex jibagħtu n-nomini tagħhom. In-nominati li jiġu evalwati jridu jkunu taħt il-21 sena.

In-nominazzjonijiet għandhom jaslu b’email lil info@maltasportsjournalists.com. Ir-regolamenti ta’ dan l-unur jinsabu fuq is-sit elettroniku tal-Għaqda Ġurnalisti Sport li hu www.maltasportsjournalists.com.