The Maltese Weightlifting Association successfully hosted the EU Cup and the Malta International Junior Open at the Marsa Sports Complex. The event brought together athletes from 21 countries, competing in three age groups, Under 15, Under 17, and Under 20, for both boys and girls.
The opening ceremony was led by Charles Camenzuli, President of AIPS Europe, who spoke about the steady growth and development of Maltese weightlifting over the years. Additional comments were given by Dr Milan Mihajlovic, Secretary General of the EWF, who highlighted the importance of such events, praised the professionalism of the organisers, and expressed hope that Malta will soon have the chance to host the European Championships.
Jesmond Caruana, President of both the Maltese Weightlifting Association and the European Union Weightlifting Confederation, thanked all participating nations for their commitment. He stressed that the success of the competitions was made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers whose hard work ensured excellent hospitality and smooth event operations. He also thanked SportMalta and the MTA for their continued support.
Dr Astrit Hasani, President of the European Weightlifting Federation, praised the Maltese Weightlifting Association, expressing admiration for how a small federation managed to deliver an event of such high organisational standards and attention to detail.
The competitions featured strong individual and team performances. France won the Best Team title in the EU Cup, while Israel claimed victory in the Malta International Junior Open.
Maltese athletes also performed well:
· Nathan Mifsud lifted a total of 203kg (310 points), winning silver in the Under-15 EU Cup and gold in the Malta International Open. He also won bronze in the doubles event with Emily Livori.
· Kim Camilleri Laganà lifted 164kg (242 points), securing bronze in the Under-17 EU Cup and gold in the Malta International Open. She also achieved bronze in the doubles with Gabrielle Frendo.
Other notable results for Team Malta included:
· Luke Stefan Micallef – 202kg / 296 points
· Nathaniel Fenech – 220kg / 276 points
· Aaliyah Gatt – 163kg / 208 points
· Kaya Curmi Inguanez – 131kg / 196 points
Unfortunately, two of Malta’s top lifters and previous winners, Tenisha Thornton and Rylee Borg, could not compete as they continue recovering from injury.
