Siġġiewi Rowing Club has made history after two of its coaches became the first Maltese to earn official certification in Paralympic rowing. Leanne Xuereb Ungaro and Markus Schembri have been awarded the Level 1 Paralympic Rowing Coaching and Classification badge by World Rowing, marking a significant step forward for inclusive sport development in Malta.
The two coaches have been instrumental in shaping the club’s inclusive approach, regularly training athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities alongside able-bodied rowers. Their achievement represents a breakthrough not just for the club, but also for the broader landscape of adaptive sport in Malta.
The certification was awarded after Xuereb Ungaro and Schembri successfully completed an intensive multi-phase coaching programme organised by World Rowing and supported by Türkiye Rowing. The first phase took place at the IBB Halic Water Sports Center in Istanbul, where participants engaged in a comprehensive week-long course led by World Rowing educators and classification experts.
Course content included specialist training in Paralympic athlete classification, adapted techniques for indoor rowing machines, boat rigging, water safety drills, tailored warm-up and stretching routines for Para athletes, and venue accessibility assessments. Following the international training, the coaches returned to Malta to complete practical assessments, including a local risk evaluation and capsize drill at the Inspire Pool in Marsascala.
The initiative is part of a wider collaboration between Siġġiewi Rowing Club and the Malta Paralympic Committee (MPC), which is co-developing the national infrastructure for Paralympic rowing. The MPC described the milestone as a crucial step in ensuring that athletes with disabilities receive high-quality coaching tailored to their individual needs.
“Investing in specialist skills for coaching athletes with disabilities in the sport of rowing is essential,” said an MPC spokesperson. “This milestone complements our investment in adapted sport equipment and supports the vision of providing safe, inclusive, and competitive training opportunities for all.”
The partnership’s efforts began in earnest in 2022, when MPC Secretary General Dr Julian Bajada completed the 28km Julian Bajada Rowing Challenge, raising over €60,000 to fund a fleet of Paralympic rowing boats. The boats have since arrived in Malta, and on-water training sessions are scheduled to begin in summer 2025 in collaboration with Siġġiewi Rowing Club.
In the meantime, a growing group of Para athletes has been training in indoor rowing sessions held at the Dar Tal-Providenza sports facilities in Siġġiewi. Siġġiewi Rowing Club remains the only inclusive rowing organisation in Malta to provide opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities, covering disciplines from indoor rowing to traditional regatta, and modern Paralympic, Olympic and coastal rowing.
The recent achievement by Xuereb Ungaro and Schembri represents a turning point for adaptive rowing in Malta and reflects the growing commitment to inclusivity, excellence, and accessibility in local sport.
