The 2017 Games of the Small States of Europe just kicked off in San Marino, and Team Malta managed to win six medals on the first day, one of which was the prestigious gold! 

100 metre athlete Charlotte Ashley Wingfield successfully brought home first place, hot off a show-stopping performance in last year’s Rio Olympics. Wingfield’s victory was actually her second gold medal in the 100 metre face in a GSSE, with her first being in Iceland two years ago.

“My legs didn’t feel that fast,” she said right after the face, but it clearly was more than enough for the British sprinter, who recently took advantage of her father’s Maltese citizenship to start racing under the island’s flag. “Fingers crossed for us also getting a gold in the relay!” she concluded, beaming and still panting.

Team Malta also managed to get three silver medals, awarded to the women’s cycling team (Stephanie Alden, Marie Claire Aquilina and Michelle Vella Wood), 200 metre fly swimmer Michael Umnov (who set a new national mark), and the Maltese Raffa duo Stefan and David Farrugia.

Meanwhile, two bronze medals were awarded to Andrew Chetcuti in the 100m free swimming event, along with the men’s cycling team, which is made up of Maurice Formosa, Etienne Bonello, James Mifsud and Alexander Pettett. 

The San Marino 2017 GSSE are on until this Saturday, and here’s hoping other athletes from Team Malta are just as successful!

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).