Team Malta ended the 2023 Games of the Small States of Europe at the top of the medal table, a first since the Games were launched in 1987. Competing on home soil between 28th May and 3rd June, Maltese athletes won 97 medals: 38 gold, 30 silver and 29 bronze.
It is by far Malta’s best performance at the Games, with both the gold medal tally and the overall total the highest ever achieved. Until now, Malta’s best finishes had been fourth place in 1993 and 2003, both editions also held in Malta, and in 2011.
Gold medals came from across the programme. Matija Pecotic and Matthew Asciak won the men’s tennis doubles, Clive Farrugia took gold in skeet and Felix Wetzel won the men’s table tennis singles. On the track, Graham Pellegrini won the 200m, James Arena the triple jump and Jordan Gusman and Gina McNamara both won the 5,000m. Malta’s men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams also took gold.
Gina McNamara was one of the standout athletes of the week with four medals in women’s middle distance. Colette Sultana won three golds in squash, in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles, while Georgia Bohl excelled in the breaststroke events. The men’s basketball team and both rugby sevens squads won silver.
Team Malta was led by Chef de Mission Paul Sultana, with Elaine Genovese and Matthew Galea Soler carrying the flag at the Opening Ceremony.
For the Maltese Olympic Committee, whose Executive Board includes emvigee’s Maria Vella-Galea as Director of Media and PR, the Games were the culmination of years of preparation to host Europe’s small states on home ground.
