Back in March 2002, a young Ira Losco came within a hair's breadth of winning the Eurovision and sending an entire nation into ecstasy. We revisit that day.

First published May 26, 2002

Ira Losco has broken all records of the local music industry by becoming the first Maltese singer ever to place second in the Eurovision Song Contest with her interpretation of 7th Wonder.

Hearts were pounding last night at Saku Suurall in Tallinn, the Estonian capital, as Malta and Latvia ran neck and neck right until the end - Lithuania's points were to determine the winner placing Latvia's song I Wanna by Marie N in first place with 176 points - just 12 ahead of Malta.

Estonia's song Runaway sung by Sahlene and the UK's entry Come Back sung by Jessica Garlick jointly placed third with 111 points.

Ira's song, composed by Philip Vella with lyrics by Gerard James Borg, finished second with 164 points.

Ira gave an excellent performance and with her sexy white catsuit, charisma and confident smile, she wooed her audience who clapped wildly at the end of the song.

The winner Marie N, speaking at a press conference after winning, described Ira as an extremely charming girl, on stage and in life, and she wished her love and happiness for the future.

Ira saw the coveted award slipping from her hands when Lithuania gave 12 points to Latvia, its Baltic neighbour. However, despite being slightly disappointed, Ira was over the moon at placing second from 24 competing countries.

It's just amazing. I was so close to winning, but it is still great to become the first Maltese singer to place second in the Eurovision

"It's just amazing. I was so close to winning, but it is still great to become the first Maltese singer to place second in the Eurovision," she told The Sunday Times immediately after the results were announced. "I'm going back to Malta to have a great celebration," she enthused.

Then and now: can Malta's sweetheart repeat, or even better, her 2002 feat?

The local organising committee led by Charlo Bonnici were also ecstatic with the result and could be seen celebrating in the Green Room.

The closest Malta had ever come to winning the contest was in 1992 and 1998 when both Mary Spiteri and Chiara placed third with Little Child and The One that I Love respectively.

Throughout the entire week Ira was continuously being hailed as the dark horse in the contest. However, she was continuously being placed in sixth or seventh place by European betting companies.

Until yesterday afternoon the winning song was still open and British bookmakers William Hill had three co-favourites - Germany, UK and Sweden - offering punters odds of 7:2. Malta was still in sixth place with odds of 10:1.

Yesterday Germany's most popular radio station WDR held a show where the public was invited to call in and vote for their favourite song - 7th Wonder emerged as the top favourite among listeners.

Cap Sounds managing director Manfred Holz also said that Ira's entry was ranked among the top three in Germany's bestselling paper Bild Zeitung - their predictions were right.

The 47th Eurovision contest - ridiculed across much of western Europe but watched by an estimated 300 million people - was hosted by mezzo-soprano Annely Peebo and actor Marko Matuere. Malta obtained a maximum 12 points from the UK, Croatia and Denmark. The only country which gave Malta no points was Romania.

The Maltese panel gave a maximum 12 points to Cyprus and seven points to Latvia.

Ira is expected to return to Malta tomorrow at 4.10 p.m. on the Air Malta flight from Stockholm.

Hamilton Travel and Air Malta helped make this coverage possible.