The true highlights for Malta in Paris were undoubtedly the athletes, who secured invitations to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. They were joined by a delegation of officials from the Maltese Olympic Committee. However, Malta’s presence extended beyond the official delegation, with the President and General Secretary of the Malta Judo Federation also contributing to the success of the XXXIII Olympiad.
Mr. Envic Galea, serving as President, attended the Paris Olympics as a guest of the International Judo Federation, in his capacity as Founder and Chairman of the International Judo Academy. The Academy currently has 3000 graduates from 160 countries. Meanwhile, Mrs. Louisa Galea, the General Secretary, played an active role in the Games. As the Logistics Manager for the International Judo Federation, Louisa was responsible for overseeing all accommodation and transport logistics for the federation during the event. In her role, Louisa has been collaborating with the Paris Local Organising Committee for the past two years.
Judo is often celebrated as one of the best-organized sports, a reputation further reinforced by the distinguished guests who attended the Judo event. Among them were Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy; Albert II, Prince of Monaco; Snoop Dogg, Hip Hop living legend; Nadia Comaneci, the first gymnast to achieve a perfect 10; and Albano, world acclaimed singer and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation, who on his way out, joined the event’s MC to sing “Felicità”.
This father-daughter judo duo marked their third Olympic Games together in Paris. During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Louisa was unable to attend in person due to her pregnancy and COVID-19 travel restrictions, and instead managed her duties from home.
