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 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 16 team, where he played his debut game in February. Over four years ago he remarkably took the stage on the popular TV show Malta’s Got Talent and impressed the judges with his football juggling skills.

The Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award was presented to Tommy Wallbank by Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director and CEO of Atlas Insurance, together with Robert Micallef, Chief Commercial Officer. The Malta Sports Journalists Association was represented by General Secretary Lorraine Cunningham and Administrator Stephen Azzopardi. Caden Tanti’s presentation will be held at a later date when he returns to Malta for his O-Level exams.

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: Robert Micallef (Atlas Insurance), Matthew von Brockdorff (Atlas Insurance), Tommy Wallbank, Lorraine Cunningham (MSJA) and Clinton Buhagiar (MSJA).