A group of young Maltese weightlifters delivered a strong showing at the San Marino Cup, competing against thirteen teams from countries including Hungary, Belgium, Kosovo, San Marino, Israel and Italy. Despite being the youngest team in the competition, Malta secured a respectable fifth place in the overall Team Rankings.
Standout performances came from Nathan Mifsud and Kim Camilleri Laganà. Mifsud impressed with lifts of 92kg in the Snatch and 109kg in the Clean and Jerk, while Camilleri Laganà, preparing for the European Junior Championships, recorded 67kg in the Snatch and 89kg in the Clean and Jerk, earning a total of 221 points.
Other young lifters also made their mark. Gabriele Frendo, aged 13, lifted 68kg in the Snatch and 78kg in the Clean and Jerk, while 15-year-old Nathan Balzan achieved 50kg and 66kg in the respective lifts.
For twelve-year-old Mia Sant and thirteen-year-old Emily Livori, the San Marino Cup was their first international competition. Both athletes showed great composure on the platform, with Sant completing 28kg in the Snatch and 35kg in the Clean and Jerk, and Livori lifting 36kg and 43kg.
The event provided valuable experience for the Maltese team ahead of the European Junior Championships in Albania and the European Union Championships, which will be held in Malta this December. The young lifters’ performances signal promising potential for the future of Maltese weightlifting.
