#53: Malta Brings The Fight At Invitational Small States Games
Maltese taekwondo athletes gave a feast to the eyes for their teams and countries during the Taekwondo segment of the Invitational Games of the Small States.
The games are an MOC initiative to boost sports even at junior level, having started in October 2022 for sports not part of the 2023 Games of the Small States of Europe.
This year, the program featured Taekwondo, together with Badminton and Swimming.
34 athletes represented Malta in the Taekwondo sphere, with 25 athletes hailing from the Iron Taekwondo League and nine athletes, from Dragon Academy. They represented Malta at kid, cadet, junior, senior, poomsae and master levels.
In taekwondo alone, Malta amassed 16 golds, 14 silvers and 8 bronze medals, reeled in by the following athletes:
Iron Taekwondo League
Gold medals:
Jean Schembri (cadet -37)
Robin Zammit (cadet -41)
Brayden Micallef (cadet -49)
Michela Scerri (cadet -42)
Czarek Odlaniki (senior +87)
Malik Beroual (kids -36)
Tizziano Falbo (kids -29)
Zach Zammit (kids -26)
Dwayne Micallef (kids -24)
Emma Law Lautier (kids -26)
Gianluca Barbara (masters -80)
Luca Falzon (kids -33)
Sinan Koruk (poomsae)
Silver medals:
Alexandros Litvyakov (cadet -41)
Sherzod Bazarov (cadet -49)
Dailen Barbara (kids -44)
Oliver Gatt (kids -36)
Adam Bileci (kids -32)
Souleymane Dif (kids -29)
Tyas Mifsud Calleja (kids -24)
Eva Mifsud Calleja (kids -40)
Fatma Azzam (kids -32)
Lounes Beroual (masters -80)
Emma Gellel (kids -33)
Jovo Mirkovic (poomsae)
Bronze medals:
Matteo Cassar (cadet -41)
Fergeson Galea (junior -55)
Firayaad Abdela (kids -36)
Kieran Vella (kids -24)
Nina Gellel (kids -40)
Ella Schembri (kids -40)
Dragon Academy
Gold medals:
Samuel Vella (junior -48)
Aisha Gatt Shembesh (kid -33)
Andrew Catania (kid -48)
Silver medals:
Luke Chircop (cadet -57)
Kendra Magro (cadet -51)
Bronze medals:
Xavier Spiteri (kid -24)
Noah Kitcher (kid -36)
The medal haul was a five-fold increase for Malta, since its last Invitational Games for taekwondo, back in 2022.
It also marked a first for the Maltese team, who fielded their first poomsae team in the form of Jovo Mirkovic and Sinan Koruk (both ITL). Both athletes brought home a second-place trophy.
The coaches representing the Maltese contingent were Gianluca Barbara (ITL), Ditmir Vodinaj (ITL), Jovo Mirkovic (ITL) and Mauro Busuttil (DAM).
The competition welcomed national teams of Andorra, Albania, France, Estonia, Kosovo, Iceland, San Marino, Monaco, Montenegro, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Libya, Luxembourg and Slovenia. It was presided by International Referee Chair Kostas Kalaudis and the Malta Taekwondo Association team.
On behalf of the Malta Taekwondo Association, we would like to thank all athletes, their coaches and teams for being a part of this event. Our thanks is also extended to the Maltese Olympic Committee for their eternal support and hard work. Our final thanks go specifically to the Technical Delegate led by Moustapha Akkouh and to Andre Scerri, Jon Garcia, to all referees, staff and volunteers.
