The Malta Sports Journalists Association and Atlas Insurance officially launched the public voting for the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year Award 2024, which is taking place on 10-22 January via the Atlas Insurance official Facebook page. This year’s Annual Award holds special significance as it marks the initiative’s 5th anniversary, celebrating a half-decade of recognising exceptional young talent in sports.

Members of the public are invited to vote for one of the athletes who won the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Award over the previous 12 months. The winner would then be crowned Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year 2024 on the basis of the combined vote of the public and a panel of sports journalists.

Robert Micallef, Chief Commercial Officer of Atlas Insurance, commented: “Atlas is honoured to have acknowledged the achievements of young athletes through our Youth Athlete of the Month Award, both on a local and international basis. As a company, physical and mental health are key priorities, and we believe that endorsing sports enhances these principles while allowing us to give back to the community. On behalf of TeamAtlas, I extend my congratulations to this year’s monthly winners and wish them the best of luck for the upcoming Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year Award 2024.”

The journalists’ vote will carry 60% of the total outcome whilst the popular public vote will carry the other 40% of the vote that has been launched on the official Facebook page of Atlas Insurance: www.facebook.com/atlasmalta/

For the first time since the launching of this award in 2020, Atlas Insurance and the Malta Sports Journalists Association have also jointly agreed to start awarding two trophies monthly in the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month Awards, one in recognition of  athletes’ local achievements and the other to reward accomplishments at international level.

The 24 athletes eligible for the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year Award 2024 are:
Rachela Pace (Athletics) and Kyle Satariano (Darts) – January
Cherise Farrugia (Horse Racing) and Graham Pellegrini (Athletics) – February
Neil Incorvaja (Table Tennis) and Malta’s Men U19 Water Polo Team – March
Rylee Borg (Weightlifting) and Malta’s Women U18 Volleyball Team – April
Bianca Shoemake (Hammer Throw – Athletics) and Nico Sciberras (Trap – Shooting) – May
Malta’s Men U16 Water Polo Team and Katrina Micallef (Sailing) – June
Anthony Borg (Swimming) and Alex Degabriele (Tennis) – July
Luca Vella (Open Water Swimming) and Leia Summer Madden (Karate) – August
Andrei Fenech (Karting) and Kim Camilleri Laganà (Weightlifting) – September
Jack Mizzi (Chess) and Tenishia Thornton (Weightlifting) – October
Dielyn Edwards & Jake Castaldi (Blackball) and Mattea Saliba (Squash) – November
Thomas Sammut (Darts) and Sasha Gatt (Swimming) – December

The winner of the 2024 Award will be announced in February, followed by the official presentation of the prestigious trophy of the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year.