Team Malta is currently in Montenegro to take part in the 18th edition of the Games of the Small States of Europe. Expectations are high that the Maltese athletes could improve on the haul of 29 medals won in San Marino two years ago. Stay with us to follow all the latest results and achievements of the Maltese athletes in Montenegro.

Team Malta won five medals on Day 3 at the 2019 GSSE with Eleonor Bezzina taking all the plaudits after winning the 10m air pistol competition in Budva.

For Bezzina this was her second gold medals in GSSE competition after he had secured the title in Luxembourg six years ago.

William Chetcuti picked up his first medal in international trap competitions after placing second following a shoot-off defeat to Cypriot shooter Nikola Kyriakou.

On Friday, the Manikata shooter has the chance to add another medal when he lines up for the double trap event alongside Gianluca Chetcuti.

In swimming Andrew Chetcuti picked up his third silver medal of the Games when placing second in the 50 metres fly.

For Chetcuti this was his 16th medal in GSSE history and also the tenth picked up for Team Malta in these Games.

In track and field, Jordan Gusman missed out on the gold medal in the 1,500m race when placing second while Damian Mizzi had to settle for bronze in the 400m.

 

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6.11pm Jordan Gusman finished second in the 1,500m race to earn Malta a silver medal in today's Athletics programme. The Maltese-Australian has now won his second medal after yesterday's triumph in the 5,000m event. 

5.55pm Swimmer Mya Azzopardi placed fourth in the 400m medley, setting a new national record at 5:06.06.

5.30pm MEDAL!!! Andrew Chetcuti has placed second to earn a silver medal for Malta in the 50m freestyle in a time of 24.61. This is Chetcuti's third medal at these Games after his two second places in the 4x100 and 4x200m relay events. 

5.15pm Athlete Charlotte Wingfield is through to the final of the 200m after making it safely through her heat.

Meanwhile, Swimmer Michael Stafrace finished sixth in the 100m breast race in a time of 1:06.30.

4.52pm So, here are some results obtained by the Maltese swimmers:

• Francesca Falzon Young placed fifth in her 50m heat in a time of 27.56.
• Falzon Young was back in action in the 50m backstroke, placing fifth overall in a time of 31.05.
• Andrew Chetcuti and Harry Stacey finished joint-fourth in a time of 23.22 in their 50m freestyle heat.
• Thomas Wareing finished ninth overall in the 50m backstrike race, setting a new personal best in a time of 28.53.

4.42pm Meanwhile, the swimming competitions are underway here in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital city...

 

3.15pm Bezzina put on an excellent performance in the final to have the better of home shooters Jelena Pantovic and Nadja Saranovic.

The Maltese shooter totaled 231.8 points with Pantovic second on 230.7.

For Bezzina this is her second gold medal in a GSSE.

3pm Eleonor Bezzina wins gold... she placed first in the 10m air pistol competition to hand Team Malta their third gold medal in the Games.

2.10pm As we compose ourselves again you can listen to Chetcuti's first reaction after the final.

1.58pm It's still a valiant effort from Chetcuti who on his debut in trap, a discipline he started only 18 months ago, he takes a silver medal agaisnt world class opposition which included World Cup winners.

1.56pm Chetcuti misses again but this time Kyriakos makes no mistake to take gold.

1.55pm William misses the third but Kyriakos fails too and the shoot-off goes on.

1.50pm It's a tie and a shoot-off will be need it for gold... great drama.

1.45pm William is guaranteed silver. He is just one clay behind Kyriakos with just five to go.

1.40pm CHETCUTI IS ON THE PODIUM... three shooters remaining and Chetcuti is amongst them and he is assured of at least a bronze medal.

1.25pm The trap final is underway with William Chetcuti the only Maltese representative in the final.

After the first 25 clays, Chetcuti managed 21 to place joint third, just two clay short of the gold medal.

1pm Francesca Curmi also bowed out of the women's tournament after going down to Sylvie Marie Zuend 6-2 1-6 6-2.

12.45pm In tennis, Omar Sudzuka bowed out of the men's singles when he lost to Iceland's Birkir Gunnarsson 4-6 6-2 6-4.

12.30pm More positive news from the shooting sport as Eleonor Bezzina is through to the final of the 10m Air Pistol final.

The former GSSE gold medallist needed to finish among the top eight shooters and she completed the job quite comfortably when finishing second.

Below is a short clip of Bezzina in action this morning. 

12.15pm Brian Galea, however, missed out despite strong scores of 24 and 24 that left him just one point short of the sixth and final berth taken by San Marino duo Alessandra Perilli and Gian Marco Berti.

12.05pm William Chetcuti is through to the final of the Trap competition after a strong end to his qualifying campaign.

Chetcuti hit scores of 25 and 23 to place joint-first with Cypriot Andreas Makari on 169.

A shoot-off was needed to determine who wil have the best number in the final and Chetcuti prevailed to take the number one spot in the final, which gives him the upperhand if he finishes in a tie with another shooter.

11.55am At the moment Team Malta has already won 14 medals - two gold, five silver and seven bronze with Jordan Gusman and Lisa Marie Bezzina enjoying the best results so far.

11.45am Good morning everyone and welcome to our live updates of the competitive proceedings at the 2019 Games of the Small States of Europe.

Team Malta are chasing more medals on the third day of competition here in Montenegro with trap shooters William Chetcuti and Brian Galea, sprinters Charlotte Wingfield and Damian Mizzi as well as middle distance runner Jordan Gusman the major protagonists today.