Aquatics gold medallist Mark Zammit Cutajar hopes he will improve his own record in future Special Olympics editions.

The young Maltese champion returned yesterday donning a gold and bronze medal he won in the 25 metres freestyle and backstroke competitions.

Thirty-eight athletes represented Malta in six different sport disciplines – athletics, aquatics, gymnastics, bowling, bocce and football – at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games. About 7,500 participants from 185 countries took part in this year’s edition held in Athens between June 25 and July 4.

The Maltese delegation was welcomed by the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, Clyde Puli at Malta International Airport. He thanked the officials and coaches, led by Anna Calleja, adding that the Special Olympics mission was appreciated both for promoting a sports culture and also an inclusive society .

The Maltese team won 46 medals: 15 gold, 17 silver and 14 bronze.

His father, Denis, said Mr Zammit Cutajar, 19, was an all-rounder when it came to sports and formed part of the Maltese team that placed second in the 2009 Special Olympics European Seven-a-Side Football Tournament held in Portugal.

He said his son was very ambitious.

Although a bit disappointed placing third for the backstroke on June 29, he managed to win gold in the freestyle competition on Sunday.

Mr Zammit Cutajar, from Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, said that as he touched the other end of the swimming pool, he did not realise immediately he had placed first. He was, however, ecstatic to realise he had managed to achieve his dream of winning gold.

“The best thing about the experience is that I got a new best ­timing ... and the gold medal,” he said. The venture, he said was one of the best, where together with his friends he met new ­people from different cultures.

The young man started swimming in the family’s pool when he was about four “and immediately took to the water like fish”, his father said.

He joined the Special Olympics team seven years ago and, in 2006, took part in the Olympics European Youth Games in Rome, Italy, returning home with a silver medal, won in the breaststroke competition. Then, in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Mr Zammit Cutajar won silver in the backstroke.

The government has, through the Maltese Sports Council and the Good Causes Fund, helped the Special Olympics team with a €35,000 package.