The Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC), through its Media, Technical and Women in Sport Commissions, has officially launched Passing the Torch: Women in Sport Mentorship Programme to mark the occasion of International Women’s Day.
The initiative is being delivered in collaboration with Commonwealth Sport Malta as part of the country’s preparations for the Malta 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games, highlighting the shared commitment of both organisations to strengthening opportunities for young female athletes and developing the next generation of leaders in sport.
The programme is a structured 12-month pilot running from April 2026 to March 2027, designed to empower, support and retain young female athletes through meaningful mentorship relationships with Malta’s leading women in sport.
Maria Vella-Galea, Media Commission Member and Project Lead, explained:
“Passing the Torch is about creating visible, structured leadership pathways for young women in sport. We are connecting experience with ambition — ensuring the next generation has access to guidance, confidence and real-life insight from those who have already competed at the highest levels.”
Experience Driving the Next Generation
The mentor cohort comprises accomplished female athletes who have represented Malta at the Olympic, Commonwealth, Mediterranean Games and Games of the Small States of Europe. Beyond competition, they bring leadership, performance-environment experience and continued involvement in sport through coaching, officiating and administration. They have also always embraced the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship.
Mentors include Eleanor Bezzina (Shooting), Joanna Camilleri (Judo), Diane Desira nee Borg (Athletics), Elaine Genovese (Tennis), Sana Grillo (Gymnastics), Amy Micallef (Swimming), Laurie Pace (Judo), Maya Podesta (Sailing) and Michelle Vella Wood (Triathlon).
Mentees are promising female athletes aged 14 to 18 identified within Malta’s high-performance pathway, including those targeting the Youth Olympic Games (Dakar 2026) and Commonwealth Youth Games (Malta 2027), across Athletics, Gymnastics , Sailing, Squash, Swimming, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Waterpolo and Weightlifting.
The athletes participating in the programme represent a diverse range of sporting disciplines. Artistic Gymnastics is represented by Janet Galea, Julia Galea, and Sophie St John. Athletics includes Ella Borg Degiorgio, Kayleigh Ann Ellul, Carey Spiteri, and Sophia Curmi. Sailing features Sam Axisa and Julia Borg. Squash brings together Alexandra Agius, Venita Degiorgio, and Matthea Saliba, while Swimming includes Sophia Allen, Yulya Anne Bonnici, Madeliene Cassar, and Ella Fenech Attard. Taekwondo is represented by Alycia Cassar and Michela Scerri, and Triathlon by Katie Anne Vella Wood. Waterpolo will participate as a team and includes Chloe Amato, Holly Camilleri, Kaylen Cutajar, Nevise
Agius, Elise Cushing, Martina Grech, Ella Miceli, Kyra Portelli, Rihanna Babiker, Mia Clark Spiteri, and Marie Tully. Weightlifting completes the line-up with Thea Demanuele, Emily Livori, and Mia Sant.
Charlene Attard, Director of Sport and Technical Commission Chair, stated:
“This programme strengthens our performance system by focusing on holistic athlete development. Mentorship improves resilience, decision-making and long-term retention — all essential components of sustainable high performance.”
Structured Development Model
The programme is built on one-to-one mentor–mentee pairings, with structured sessions every two months, supported by informal check-ins. Matching is based on shared goals and lived experience rather than sport-specific alignment, ensuring transferable learning from elite environments.
Development is anchored in six pillars: goal setting, confidence and identity, balance between sport and education, communication and teamwork, resilience, and long-term motivation. Group sessions complement this with expert input on nutrition, mental wellbeing, performance mindset, media literacy, career pathways, values and safeguarding.
Dr Lucienne Attard, Chair of the Women in Sport Commission, added:
“Supporting women in sport requires intentional structure. This programme places wellbeing, identity and education at the centre of performance, ensuring young athletes grow not only as competitors but as confident individuals.”
Strategic Partnership and Brand Identity
Eurosport is supporting the initiative as a strategic partner, with Christina Peresso, Managing Director of Eurosport, commenting: “Eurosport is proud to support an initiative that advances female visibility and leadership in sport. Investing in young athletes today strengthens the entire sporting ecosystem for tomorrow.”
The launch also introduced a dedicated visual identity for the programme. The logo features two female figures passing a torch beneath the Maltese Cross and the Olympic Rings, framed by elements inspired by the Olympic colours — symbolising continuity, leadership and the intergenerational strengthening of women’s participation in Maltese sport.
Long-Term Vision
As a pilot, Passing the Torch will measure impact in confidence, retention and athlete engagement, with the objective of establishing a scalable mentorship model for future cycles.
The initiative represents a strategic investment in Malta’s sporting future — reinforcing female leadership and strengthening the development pathway for women in sport.
