Final 40 Players Announced for the BOV Volleyball Marathon 2026

After two intense weeks of training and endurance trials, the road to this year’s BOV Volleyball Marathon reached another exciting milestone.

The final 40 athletes have now been selected and have moved into the last phase of preparations ahead of the 53-hour volleyball marathon, taking place between Thursday 16th and Saturday 18th July at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali.

Over the first phase, over 60 hopeful players pushed themselves through technical training, physical assessments, and endurance challenges, all with the aim of earning a place in this year’s event. Every session counted, with athletes assessed on their technical ability, physical fitness, teamwork, and what organisers refer to as “marathon spirit”, the determination and resilience needed to complete one of Malta’s most demanding sporting fundraisers.

Five Teams Ready for the Challenge

The selected players have now been divided into five teams, where they will continue training together over the coming weeks. From this point onwards, the focus shifts from individual performance to teamwork, communication, and preparing for the unique demands of playing continuously throughout the volleyball marathon.

Technical Director Kris Croker officially announced both the final selection and the team formations, revealing a squad that reflects everything the BOV Volleyball Marathon stands for. This year’s group includes a fantastic mix of experienced marathon players and newcomers, while also bringing together athletes of different ages and nationalities.

One of this year’s most remarkable statistics is the age range of the participants. The oldest player is almost 40 years older than the youngest (14 years), a wonderful example of how the volleyball marathon brings generations together for one common purpose.

Meet the Teams

Team BOV

Dalton Caruana (Captain), Antonella Spiteri, Anatole Scerri Diacono, Christian Cutajar, Ema Cardona Venes, Frank Zammit, Nicole Vassallo, Robert Micallef

Team BITMAC

Michael Magro (Captain), Sophie-Ann Busuttil, Andrew Mangion, Keith Borg, Lorraine Soler, Matthias Mangion, Stephanie Chircop, Tristjan Nikolic

Team ĦILA

David Cutajar (Captain), Denise Hollier, Abby Camilleri Pearson, Aidan Bugeja, Alin Cujba, Anthony Falzon, Iphigenia Stefanou, Joseph Camilleri

Team EEETWELL

Tasha Pace (Captain), Chris Sammut, Alex Albanese, Darren Bugeja, Denzil Saliba, Dorienne Grech, Savienne Camilleri, Tracy Grech

Team PWC

Judith Scerri Valletta (Captain), Keith Mercieca, Akashdeep Singh, Diane Bugeja, Gabriel Farrugia, Julia Schembri, Julian Calleja, Kirstie Vella

A Special Mention

A special mention goes to Keith Cutajar, who earned a place in the final selection but unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury. Everyone involved in the BOV Volleyball Marathon wishes Keith a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back on the court very soon.

 

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The Countdown Is On

With the teams now confirmed, preparations enter their final and most exciting stage. Over the coming weeks, the five squads will continue training together before taking to the court for the BOV Volleyball Marathon, which runs from Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th July at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali.

We wish all 40 athletes the very best of luck as they prepare for this incredible challenge in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza. Read here on why this event is so important.

We can’t wait to see you on the court!