Jake Vella, Malta’s most inspirational young athlete, completed a 1.7km swim in record time this morning… and managed to raise €3000 doing it!

On Saturday, an eager Jake Vella and fellow athlete Fabio Spiteri set off for a challenge that would see them swim from St Paul’s Island to the shore in Buġibba all in aid of the Association of Abandoned Animals organisation.

The challenge was no easy feat and things proved to be a little more difficult as a result of the rough sea which forced them to switch pick up points from simenta to tax-xama.

Nonetheless, Jake, Fabio and the rest of the volunteer swimmers were determined to complete the challenge and set off on their way.

The sports ambassador crushed his challenge and swam 1.7km in just 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Jake, who suffers from ROHHAD, doesn’t let his conditions stop him from achieving his goals and staying active, something he proves to us time and time again, including today.

Despite a swell in the ocean, Jake never stopped swimming and when he finally made it to shore, he was greeted with resounding applause and cheers from those waiting for him on the beach.

“Despite suffering from a rare condition called ROHHAD, Jake had a dream and today he fulfilled his target, ” said Fabio Spiteri in a Facebook post.

Thanks to the generous contributions of everyone involved, Jake managed to raise over €3000 for the animal shelter and with SMS lines still open, that number just keeps on rising…

The event’s sponsor, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, donated over €1,000 alone towards this great cause!

This achievement is just one of many in Jake’s book and his perseverance and fortitude is both an inspiration and reminder that you can do anything if you set your mind to it. Well done and congratulations to Jake Vella!

If you weren’t able to make it today and still want to support Jake, you can do so by donating to the charity via sms using the numbers below:

5061 7350 € 2.33

5061 8060 € 4.66

5061 8910 € 6.99

5061 9200 € 11.65

Tag someone who is going to love this story

READ NEXT: It’s Here! Jake Vella And Fabio Spiteri To Swim In Aid Of Abandoned Animals Tomorrow Morning