#50: ITL Athletes Score Two Golds And One Silver In European Small States Games
The original press release can be accessed by clicking here.
Another historic result for Malta came by way of the European Championships for Games of the Small States, with no less than three golds, one silver and one bronze medal.
ITL’s Jean Schembri and Alycia Cassar bagged a gold apiece, while Michela Scerri hit silver.
The remaining medals came from DAM’s Nathan Degiorgio (bronze) and Luke Chircop (gold).
The Games
ITL’s Alycia Cassar (Junior -55 kg) faced Luxembourgian athlete Lisa Vrosch, who sailed to the final after a comfortable win against the Kosovan national team.
Alycia registered a masterful performance, winning the final with a score of 2:0. Gold for Malta!
Alycia Cassar (blue).
ITL’s Jean Schembri (Cadet - 37 kg) faced Montenegrin Rijad Dervishi in the final of their respective set. It was a great moment for Jean, who returned to the field of play following a seven-week injury from his last international event. Despite that, he secured a convincing win with a score of 2:1, netting Malta’s second gold.
Gianluca Barbara, 34, made a return at senior level in the -74 kg category. He drew the current European Small States champion Chadrack Lungungu (LUX) in the quarter-final.
After a convincing win in the first round, Lungungu managed a comeback and claimed the next two rounds. Gianluca was eliminated in the quarter final.
Juniors Nathan Degiorgio and Fergeson Galea drew each other in the quarter-final of their respective category (-55 kg). It was a close match with both fighters claiming a round each, only to score 16-16 in the third (and final) round.
With the score tied, Nathan was declared the winner for having registered an additional non-scoring hit in the round.
Nathan later advanced to the semi-final, facing Prodromos Angelos Hadjicosti (CYP). The experienced Cypriot won with a round score of 2:0. This made Nathan Malta’s first medalist (bronze).
ITL’s Michela Scerri drew Cypriot Adrianna Ioannou, winning the first round comfortably. Unfortunately, Ioannou made a strong comeback to claim the second. Ioannou and Michela then locked horns in a difficult third round that saw the Cypriot edge to victory with the narrowest of margins; one point.
Michela walked away with a hard-earned silver medal.
DAM’s Luke Chircop (Cadet - 57 kg) registered stunning wins over two opponents from Cyprus. Andreas Ioannou (semi-final) and Konstantinos Papaefstathiou (final).
Tallinn Open
Refugee Team athlete Mamadou Balde (ITL) also made a senior presence at the Tallinn Open, which took place a day after the European Games of the Small States.
Mamadou drew French athlete Nahil Mehnana in the quarter-final of the - 87 kg category. Unfortunately, Mamadou lost the match in a closely-fought contest.
The team was led by national coach Ditmir Vodinaj, and attended by MTA representatives Anna Vassallo (President) and Association Administrator Michelle Chircop, who attended the General Assembly held in Estonia that very week.
