Emotional welcome for successful Special Olympics team

The Special Olympics team received a hero's welcome on its return from the World Summer Games in Shanghai, China yesterday - and quite rightly!

The 19 participants scooped 33 medals - seven gold, 11 silver and 15 bronze - despite stiff competition. In fact, each one of them was a winner, landing at Malta International Airport weighed down not by their luggage, but by large medals, hanging proudly from their necks.

They could barely make their way into the arrivals lounge due to the crowd of emotional family members and supporters, who greeted them warmly and enthusiastically, with flowers, the music of a live band, Maltese flags, applause and cheering.

The atmosphere at the packed airport terminal was energetic and ecstatic, tears welling in eyes and smiles galore. The champions were treated as such, some of them even carried shoulder-high.

Malta's average compared "well with the big countries", said Special Olympics president Mario Meli, especially when considering that China had about 1,272 participants and the US about 500.

"We definitely performed the best out of the small countries," he said.

Malta competed in swimming, gymnastics, athletics and bowling, these being the sports in which it could achieve the best results, Mr Meli explained. Gold medals were won in swimming and gymnastics.

In the case of gymnastics, the 12 Maltese participants in 12 items won 12 medals - four gold, five silver, two fourth place and one sixth.

Two gymnasts, 24-year-old Natalie Galea and 28-year-old Brian Muscat, also went a step further, winning the gold and silver all-rounder medals respectively.

The diminutive Ms Galea won two gold and three silver medals. All smiles, she said she was "excited" as she entered the arrivals lounge and was greeted by an overwhelming crowd of family and friends.

Mr Muscat was proudly sporting two gold and two silver medals, and ranked fourth twice and sixth once in gymnastics. His family was delighted, pointing out that the Chinese were "very good and disciplined in the sport", yet Mr Muscat had beaten them.

Charmaine Mifsud was the first to win a medal, nabbing bronze in the 100-metre women's swimming medley, while Chris Gregory continued to fly the Maltese flag with his victory in the 50-metre freestyle. Apart from a gold medal in that discipline, the 32-year-old also went on to win the bronze in the 50-metre breaststroke.

It was the second time he had competed in the Special Olympics, and with equal success, but he was not sure whether there would be a third. Certainly proud of his achievements, he would always continue to keep fit, he said, recognising the importance of being healthy.

Other winners include Jonathon Borg and Alexia Wetz, who each won a bronze medal also in the 50-metre freestyle, while a silver medal was awarded to the bowling team, which placed second, managing to surpass China.

The Maltese team was accompanied by a 28-strong delegation of volunteers, who looked as satisfied with the results as the participants themselves.

Malta had one of the smallest contingents - 19 athletes, accompanied by six coaches, and even these worked on a voluntary basis, displaying great dedication, Mr Meli said.

The aim of the Special Olympics was to integrate the participants - who had Down's Syndrome, for example, and other mental disabilities - into society through sports. And yesterday's atmosphere at the airport showed the goal was being achieved.

The third edition of the World Special Olympics Games kicked off spectacularly at Shanghai stadium on October 2, with 164 countries taking part.

The official number of athletes participating in the games was 4,550 men and 632 women, with 2,303 coaches, 20,000 family members and 40,000 volunteers. The participants' ages varied between eight and 69.

Special Olympics Malta is supported by the Vodafone Malta Foundation.