Maltese judoka Katryna Esposito has once again made history, claiming silver at the Amman Open to secure Malta’s first-ever medal at an Asian Open.
Competing in the women’s 48kg category, the 24-year-old powered her way to the final with a series of strong performances, ultimately finishing runner-up but underlining her rising status in international judo.
The result adds to her growing medal collection, which already includes bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Malta’s only medal from that edition. In 2023, she was named Sportiva tas-Sena at the SportMalta Awards Għażliet Sportivi Nazzjonali.
Shadows of GSSE Disappointment
Esposito’s latest triumph comes just months after she and fellow judoka James Zahra were controversially denied the chance to compete at the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) 2025 in Andorra last May.
In an unprecedented development, both the men’s -60kg and women’s -48kg categories were cancelled at the last minute during the GSSE technical meeting, leaving Malta without judo representation for the first time in the event’s history.
Zahra, ranked 73rd in the world, had been in fine form after winning gold at the European Small Nations Championships and bronze at the World Judo Tour in Perth. Esposito, ranked 77th globally, had also collected a silver in Algiers, cementing her position as one of Malta’s elite athletes.
The cancellations followed irregular changes made after the official entry deadline, when two National Olympic Committees were permitted to withdraw athletes from Zahra’s and Esposito’s categories. This left both divisions below the GSSE minimum requirement of five athletes from three nations.
The Malta Judo Federation strongly condemned the ruling:
“The Malta Judo Federation strongly believes that categories validated at the start of the technical meeting should have been protected. Unfortunately, the decision was upheld, denying two of Malta’s elite athletes the opportunity to compete on a prominent international stage,” it said in a statement.
A Summer of Highs and Lows
Beyond the GSSE controversy, Esposito has continued to test herself against top-level opponents. At the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, she proudly represented Malta after being selected by the Malta University Sports Association (MUSA). She finished 16th, a result short of her ambitions, but said she was proud to stand her ground and give everything in one of the world’s toughest university-level competitions.
Her silver medal in Amman now stands as a powerful reminder of Malta’s growing strength in judo, and of Esposito’s determination to keep breaking new ground for her country.
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
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