Joseph Muscat's sporty ambition: Malta should aim for international success

The Malta National Shooting Range in Ta’ Kandja was officially opened, just in time for next month’s world cup event

Joseph Muscat greeting Maltese athletes who will participate in the shooting World Cup next month
Joseph Muscat greeting Maltese athletes who will participate in the shooting World Cup next month

Maltese sport should aim for success and not simply be satisfied with participating in events, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

His call for better results came as he inaugurated the professional shooting range at Ta’ Kandja, which will be used for the shooting world cup next month.

“Government will continue investing in infrastructure and clear strategies to achieve results of an international calibre, not on one-off occasions, but in a regular fashion,” Muscat said.

Read also: Shooting range direct orders needed to complete project in time for shooting world cup, Clifton Grima says

Addressing the Maltese shooters who will be competing in the upcoming international event, Muscat said Maltese athletes in this sport were of an international level and deserved to have infrastructure that respected this.

The shooting range was built by the government after a private-public partnership for a range in Mosta was scrapped in the wake of public outcry over the location.

Muscat said the decision to stop the Mosta project was good and the new range in Ta’ Kandja helped find the right balance. The range will also be used by the disciplined forces for firing practice.

Muscat said Malta could become a destination for sport tourism by attracting the best athletes through quality projects that were economically viable.

“This is why the government is working on a new race course for horses, a motor sport track and an indoor pool,” he said.

Sport Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima said the shooting range was a dream come true for the hundreds of shooting athletes and enthusiasts