The last day of the 59th edition of the FISEC games was a memorable one for Malta as Andrew Cassar Torreggiani (photo) managed to win a historic gold medal in the boys’ long jump with a 6.53m jump. Silver and bronze in this discipline went to Portugal.
This was the first time that Malta won a gold medal in long jump.
Monalisa Camilleri won the silver medal in the 3,000m in 11minutes 22 seconds. This was Camilleri’s best time ever.
Steffi Alden managed to make it to the triple jump final but her performance was hampered by an ankle injury.
Maria Sciberras finished fourth in the 200m final in 26.63seconds.
The last event of the games was the boys’ 100m relay final where Malta was represented by Andrew Cassar Torreggiani, Ezekiel Micallef, Karl Camilleri and Julian Borg.
At the end of the athletics programme coach Lara Gerada praised the Maltese athletes and said that for many of them this was their first participation ever. She also said that the results obtained augured well for next year’s edition in Malta.
In the last game of the basketball tournament Malta beat Spain A 73-33. Malta’s best scorers were Leanne Sciberras (21), Steffi De Martino (13), Kristie Tonna (10) and Rebecca Naudi (9).
The Maltese boys ended their handball commitments with a heavy 35-14 defeat against Austria.
In table-tennis the Maltese boys and girls had some mixed results, but all in all, it was a good international experience.
In the girls singles, Jessica Pace beat Almeida and Perefina, both of Portugal, 3-1 and 3-0 respectively, but then lost to a Dutch girl against two French players. She finished fifth out of seven participants in her group.
In the boys’ event, Andrew Gambina finished seventh despite beating Martinez of Portugal. Daniel Portelli was ninth and James Dawson tenth.
In the girls team event, a team composed of Jessica Pace and a Dutch girl lost the two matches against Portugal (0-3) and France (1-3).
The Malta boys team consisting of Daniel Portelli and James Dawson, lost to France, Portugal A, Portugal B and to a Malta-Dutch team in which Gambina was the Maltese player.
This team beat Malta 3-0 and then lost against Portugal.
In the boys doubles, Daniel Portelli and James Dawson lost to Portugal A, Portugal B, France A and France B.
In the Mixed Doubles, Andrew Gambina and Jessica Pace played against Portugal A, Portugal B, Portugal C, France A, France B and Holland. They lost 3-0 against France A and B, 3-1 against Portugal, but beat Portugal B 3-2. They, however, lost on a deuce to Portugal C 12-10.
At the end of the Games yesterday evening, the Closing Ceremony was held at the Sostoi Stadium, close to the hotel where the athletes were accommodated.
All contingents took part in the ceremony with Bro. Martin Borg fsc and Chef de Mission David Azzopardi leading the Maltese athletes.
The teams who won the various competitions were also presented with their trophies while Louis Borg, vice-president of the International Committee of these Games, introduced the Fair Play awards and distributed them to the winners.
Speeches for the occasion were delivered by the president, Math Pieters and the general secretary, Gianfranco Selvagi, of Malta.
At the end, the president of the Hungarian committee, Bela Kereczi, presented the Games flag to the Malta chairman, Bro. Borg, as Malta will be organising the next Games in 2008.