Maltese Table Tennis athletes compete at European Youth Championships in Ostrava

A determined group of young Maltese table tennis athletes is proudly representing Malta at the European Youth Table Tennis Championships, taking place from 10th to 20th July in Ostrava, Czechia. The team is being led by coach Peter Borg Cardona.

This year, Malta has fielded two teams: the Cadet Boys Team (Under 15) and the Junior Boys Team (Under 19). The championship is divided into three stages: Team Events, followed by Doubles, and then the Singles competitions. As of now, the team matches are still underway, with Malta currently facing off against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Junior Boys Team (U19)

The Junior Boys Team is made up of Luke Bonello, Luke Fenech, Oliver Victor Farrin Thorne, and Neil Incorvaja. They competed in Group G and Group O matches:

• In Group G, the team claimed a 3–1 victory over Azerbaijan, with Bonello securing two wins and Fenech adding the third.

• They also faced 1–3 defeats against Bulgaria and Switzerland, with Bonello winning a single match in each encounter.

• In Group O, Malta achieved a strong 3–0 win over Iceland, with wins from Bonello, Fenech, and Incorvaja.

Cadet Boys Team (U15)

The Cadet Boys Team, consisting of Matthew Carl Zammit and Daniel Scicluna, competed in Group G against challenging opponents from Slovakia, Latvia, and the Netherlands.

• Against Slovakia, the team lost 0–3.

• In a close match against Latvia, Zammit delivered two standout singles victories, though Malta narrowly lost 2–3.

• Facing the Netherlands, Zammit again earned a win, but the team went down 1–3.

Despite the results, both players showed great determination, with Zammit impressing through his consistent and competitive performances.

Other Maltese Competitors

Although Malta did not field a girls’ team for the Team Event, Alice Mariani is set to represent the country in the Girls Doubles, partnered with an athlete from Slovakia. She will also compete in the Girls Singles event later in the championship. With the Doubles and Singles competitions still to come, the Maltese delegation remains focused and motivated, aiming to build on their performances and gain valuable experience on the international stage.