Malta’s Special Olympics team in Los Angeles has returned home with 24 medals - seven gold, 10 silver and seven bronze.
The Special Olympics Malta delegation returned to Malta late last night. A large crowd of families, friends and supporters was at the Malta International Airport awaiting the triumphant return of the athletes.
The games were an extra special occasion for 33-year-old gymnast Nathalie Galea who ended her 14-year career as part of Special Olympics Malta receiving gold in all her events.
The youngest athlete of this year’s team, Alec Falzon, 11, won two bronze medals in athletics in his first international experience.
The crowd welcoming the team at the airport last night included Michelle Muscat, honorary president of the Maltese Special Olympics team and Winter Moods frontman Ivan Grech, Special Olympics ambassador greeted the Maltese delegations at the airport.
Sports Parliamentary Secretary Chris travelled with the athletes from Los Angeles.
Following is a list of the Maltese team’s achievements:
AQUATICS
• Shanaia Zammit – 800m Freestyle – Gold
• Charmaine Mifsud – 100m – Gold, 200m Breaststroke - Silver
• Klara Zammit – 400m Freestyle – Silver, 1,500m Freestyle – Bronze
• Shanaia Xuereb – 1500 Freestyle - Bronze
GYMNASTICS
• Matthew Bugeja - Rings – Gold, All Around – Silver, High Bar - Bronze
• Enrique Xerri – Pommel – Gold, Rings – Gold, High Bar – Gold, All Around – Gold, Floor - Bronze, Parallel Bars – Bronze
• Nathalie Galea – Vault – Gold, Uneven Bars – Gold, Beam – Gold, Floor - Gold, All Around - Gold
• Annemarie Bugeja – Vault – Silver, Bream – Silver, Bars – Bronze, 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, 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
A total of 22 athletes from six disciplines represented Malta in the games, which ended on Sunday.