Malta achieved a remarkable second place in the fifth edition of the Championships of the Small States of Europe, trailing only winners Cyprus and outperforming 15 other European nations in Gibraltar.
Competing against both GSSE-level nations and larger countries like Georgia, North Macedonia, and Armenia, Maltese athletes secured a total of 14 medals: five gold, six silver, and three bronze.
Gina McNamara earned the first gold medal in the women’s 1500m with a Championship record time of 4:45.43. She also won silver in the 5k and bronze in the 800m. In the women’s 200m, Charlotte Wingfield and Carla Scicluna took the top two spots, with Wingfield edging out Scicluna. Jared Micallef won gold in the 800m, finishing in 1:52.87.
Malta’s relay teams also excelled, with the women’s team (Claire Azzopardi, Charlotte Wingfield, Carla Scicluna, and Janet Richard) and the men’s team (Graham Pellegrini, Omar El Aida Chaffey, Matthew Galea Soler, and Beppe Grillo) both winning gold.
Other silver medalists included Luke Micallef (3000m steeplechase), Beppe Grillo (100m), Janet Richard (400m), and Rachela Pace (long jump). Bronze medals were won by Carla Scicluna (100m) and Graham Pellegrini (400m).
With a total of 115 points, Malta finished just seven points behind Cyprus, marking their best-ever performance in this Championship. The team was accompanied by Technical Director Mario Bonello and supported by SportMalta and the Maltese Olympic Committee.
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