The Malta Invitational Games wrapped up on Sunday evening, with Malta securing an impressive 62 medals–23 gold, 22 silver, and 17 bronze. Malta placed second overall behind Cyprus, who maintained their dominant position atop the standings.
This second edition of the Malta Invitational Games saw 200 athletes from 16 nations compete across four sports: badminton, taekwondo, swimming, and water polo. These competitions focused on Under-15 and Under-18 athletes, aligning with the Maltese Olympic Committee’s (MOC) goal of fostering young talent. The federations’ careful selection of athletes ensured a unified approach to youth sports development, connecting the MOC’s objectives with the wider sporting community.
“The Malta Invitational Games were established to provide young athletes with experience against strong international competitors,” said Charlene Attard, MOC’s Director of Sport. “These games help us build on strengths, address areas for improvement, and evaluate performance.”
Badminton
The final day featured thrilling mixed doubles semi-finals alongside all five championship finals, capping off an exciting competition. Cyprus excelled with victories in three out of five boys’ categories, capturing the Boys’ Singles and Boys’ Doubles titles. In the girls’ events, the Faroe Islands triumphed in both the Girls’ Singles and Girls’ Doubles categories.
Malta also made the podium, securing bronze medals in Boys’ Doubles with Juan Casaru and Jeremy Gatt, and in Girls’ Singles with Martina Clark.
Taekwondo
Representing Malta, 34 athletes took part in various taekwondo events, bringing home 16 gold, 14 silver, and 8 bronze medals–five times their medal count from the previous games. This competition marked the debut of Malta’s first poomsae team, featuring Jovo Mirkovic and Sinan Koruk, who achieved a second-place finish. Athletes from 17 countries competed under the watch of International Referee Chair Kostas Kalaudis.
Swimming
In a series of 36 events, Malta claimed second place in the final medal tally. Notably, the Maltese 4x50m Medley team, consisting of Michela Portelli, Julienne Woods, Nirvana Micallef, and Kristy Delia, set a new Short Course record with a time of 2:04.90. Additionally, Ella Fenech Attard and Luca Grixti each established new age group records in the Women’s 400m Medley and Men’s 50m Butterfly, respectively. Nathan Cachia earned the title of Top Male Performer, based on World Aquatics Points.
Water Polo
The final day featured two matchups for Malta’s teams against Cagliari and Cyprus. In the first game, Malta B narrowly fell to Cagliari with a score of 5-9 in a hard-fought contest. In the second game, Malta A U16 faced off against Cyprus U18, with a close match that saw Cyprus pull ahead with six unanswered goals in the final session, ending at 7-13. Malta A ultimately secured a bronze medal.
Reflecting on the event, MOC Secretary General Kevin Azzopardi commended Malta’s hosting capabilities, citing the nation’s strong infrastructure as a crucial factor in executing high-quality competitions. MOC President Julian Pace Bonello echoed the sentiment, thanking federations and the many volunteers who contributed to the success of the games.
The Malta Invitational Games were made possible through the support of SportMalta, APS Bank, National Lottery, and General Soft Drinks.
2024 Malta Invitational Games Medal Tally:
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cyprus | 44 | 27 | 18 | 89 |
| 2 | Malta | 23 | 22 | 17 | 62 |
| 3 | Guernsey | 19 | 17 | 18 | 54 |
| 4 | San Marino | 4 | 5 | 11 | 20 |
| 5 | Faroe Islands | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| 6 | Estonia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Slovenia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Latvia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Montenegro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … |
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