John Camilleri To Represent Malta At Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics
Malta will proudly be represented at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics by cyclist John Camilleri, accompanied by Chef de Mission George Vella.
The 25th edition of the Summer Deaflympics will take place in Tokyo, Japan, between 15th and 26th November 2025, marking the 100th anniversary of the Games. Camilleri, aged 28, will compete in two cycling events- the Time Trial on Thursday 20th November, and the Mass Start on Saturday 22nd November. Both events will start at 9am local time (1 am in Malta).
Camilleri, a biomedical engineer at Saint James Hospital, has been competing in cycling for eight seasons. At just three years old, he underwent cochlear implant surgery to help him communicate. Since then, he has built an impressive athletic career, earning podium finishes in both local and international competitions. His biggest achievement so far is winning bronze in the men’s team road race with Team Malta at the GSSE Andorra 2025 earlier this year.
The Deaflympics is a prestigious international sporting event for athletes with hearing impairments. To qualify, participants must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their better ear, and devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants are not permitted during competition. Around 3,000 athletes from 80 countries are expected to compete across seven sports in Tokyo.
Malta first participated in the Deaflympics in Rome 2001, later taking part in the 2009 Taipei, 2013 Sofia, and 2017 Samsun editions. In 2015, George Vella, now serving as Chef de Mission, earned a silver medal at the first Deaf European Marathon Championships in Lublin, Poland.
Team Malta’s participation is supported by the Malta Paralympic Committee and SportMalta, under the SportMalta International Participation Scheme 2025. Camilleri also thanked his sponsors- VisitMalta, PwC, EJ Busutill (cochlear implant), GasanMamo Insurance, Saint James Hospital, Diligenza, and Browns- for their continued support.
Best of luck John!
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