Maltese Special Olympics team wins 24 medals

The Special Olympics Malta team returned to Malta from late on Tuesday after winning 24 medals – seven gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze – at the Los Angeles competition

The delegation was welcomed at the airport by a large crowd of families, friends and supporters.

The Los Angeles event saw veteran 33-year-old gymnast Nathalia Galea end her 14 year career as part of Special Olympics Malta on a remarkable note, receiving Gold in all events. The youngest athlete of this year’s team, 11-year-old Alec Falzon, won two Bronze medals in Athletics in what was his first international experience.

A total of 22 athletes from six different disciplines represented Malta in this year’s Special Olympics World Games. Malta competed in Athletics, Aquatics, Bowling, Bocce, Gymnastics and Table Tennis. The Maltese delegation included 12 coaches, an assistant Head of Delegation, Elaine Bonnici and Anna Calleja, as Head of Delegation and National Director of Special Olympics Malta for the past 15 years.

Following is a list of the Maltese team’s achievements:

AQUATICS

• Shanaia Zammit – 800m Freestyle – Gold
• Charmaine Mifsud – 100m – Gold
• Klara Zammit – 400m Freestyle – Silver
• Charmaine Mifsud – 200m Breaststroke - Silver
• Klara Zammit – 1500m Freestyle – Bronze
• Shanaia Xuereb – 1500 Freestyle - Bronze

GYMNASTICS

• Matthew Bugeja - Rings – Gold
• Enrique Xerri – Pommel – Gold
• Enrique Xerri – Rings – Gold
• Enrique Xerri – High Bar – Gold
• Enrique Xerri - All Around – Gold
• Nathalie Galea – Vault – Gold
• Nathalie Galea – Uneven Bars – Gold
• Nathalie Galea – Beam – Gold
• Nathalie Galea – Floor - Gold
• Nathalie Galea – All Around - Gold
• Matthew Bugeja – All Around – Silver
• Annemarie Bugeja – Vault – Silver
• Annemarie Bugeja – Bream – Silver
• Matthew Bugeja – High Bar - Bronze
• Enrique Xerri – Floor - Bronze
• Enrique Xerri – Parallel Bars – Bronze
• Annemarie Bugeja – Bars – Bronze
• Annemarie Bugeja – All Around – Bronze

ATHLETICS

• Charlene Magro – Long Jump - Gold
• Johnny Mamo – Long Jump – Silver

• Jessica Dalli – Long Jump – Silver
• Alec Falzon – Soft Ball Throw – Bronze
• Alec Falzon – 50m - Bronze

BOWLING

• Philip Gruppetta – Singles – Silver
• Philip Gruppetta & Natasha Bianchi - Mixed Doubles - Bronze
• Natasha Bianchi – Singles - Bronze

BOCCE

• Mark Aguis - Singles – Silver
• Yowanna Vassallo – Singles - Silver

TABLE TENNIS

• Christabel Borg – Singles – Gold
• Warren Schembri – Singles – Gold
• Christabel Borg & Warren Schembri – Doubles - Silver