Cherise Farrugia (Horse Racing) and Graham Pellegrini (Track and Field Athlete) are the two winning athletes of the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award, following their successes during the month of February.

As of this year, the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award is being awarded to two young athletes for their national and international achievements, respectively.

Cherise Farrugia, aged 19, secured the 50th win of her career when she won the Class Bronze race with Hanouchka on Monday 26th February.

Cherise Farrugia started this sport at a very young age and used to attend the Horse Racing Academy at the Marsa Racetrack.. Her first victory came on the 1st of November 2020 with the horse named Erromanga just a few weeks after she obtained her official licence

In the last three consecutive years, Farrugia has won the national championship for drivers under 25 years and also represented Malta in several international competitions.

A few years ago, Farrugia had also completed a short course at the training centre of Grosbois, France, organised by AFASEC, the French Academy of Equestrian Sports and Competition.

Graham Pellegrini, also aged 19, set a national record in the 400m while representing Malta at the Balkan Indoor Athletics Championships at the Atakoy Arena in Istanbul. Completing the one-lap sprint in a superb 47.55 seconds he edged out athletes from strong nations in the world of athletics, including Bulgaria, Ukraine and Moldova.

Cherise Farrugia and Graham Pellegrini were officially presented with the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award and a sports apparel voucher by Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director and CEO of Atlas Insurance, and Robert Micallef, Chief Commercial Officer. The Malta Sports Journalists Association was represented by President Sandro Micallef and General Secretary Lorraine Cunningham.

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 [email protected]. The rules and regulations of the award can be viewed on the website www.maltasportsjournalists.com

Photo caption: From left: Matthew von Brockdorff (Atlas Insurance), Lorraine Cunningham (MSJA), Cherise Farrugia, Graham Pellegrini and Robert Micallef (Atlas Insurance).