Just one month after the record breaking world championships, the Maltese national team, composed of Marcon Bezzina, Joanna Camilleri, Brent Law, Jeremy Saywell and Isaac Bezzina, accompanied by Lamberto Raffi, attended an intensive training camp in Rome, which is one of the top Judo Olympic Training Camps in Europe.

This camp was attended by Judoka from more than 22 nations. Multiple Olympic, World and European champions such as Udo Quellmalz and Giulia Quintavalle were also on the mat.

Following the OTC, the Italian Judo Federation organised a female World Cup, which was one of the Olympic Qualification round.

Though the girls were tired from training and from their preparation for the World Championships, they still contested this event which was attended by Judoka from 36 countries from the five continents. All the judoka struggled to make it to the podium to win precious points for their qualification to the Olympic Games. Marcon Bezzina and Joanna Camilleri were very unlucky with the draw, facing Pruvost from France (fifth in the IJF Grand Slam Tokyo and placing fifth in this World Cup) and Cherepanova from Russia (fifth World Cup Minsk) respectively in their first rounds.

Two weeks later, the team composed of Marcon Bezzina, Joanna Camilleri, Brent Law, Jeremy Saywell, Isaac Bezzina, Patrick Gamble, Neville Thomas, Francesco Aufieri accompanied by Alex Bezzina and Vito Aufieri, travelled to Catania to compete in one of the Italian Grand Prix – Alle Pendici del Etna in Catania.

The Malta team placed second overall. The medals won totalled to four gold medals - Marcon Bezzina first in both the Senior -63kgs and the +78kgs, Patrick Gamble in the Senior -90kgs and Francesco Aufieri in the Espoir -81kgs; two silver won by Jeremy Saywell in the Junior -73kgs and Neville Thomas in the -90kgs; one bronze medal won by Isaac Bezzina in the Junior -81kgs; and Brent’s seventh place in the Senior -66kgs.

Thanks to a special invitation from the International Judo Federation, the young Judoka Jeremy Saywell and Isaac Bezzina accompanied by our coach Lamberto Raffi, had an experience of a lifetime when they travelled to South Africa to compete in the World Junior championships.

There were 65 nations present at this event, with 50 athletes in Jeremy’s category and 42 athletes in Isaac’s category. Though the Maltese did not get any close to the podium, this was definitely an important step in their sporting career, as very few judoka in the world get the opportunity to compete in World Championships, which can also be a stepping stone to the Olympic Games.

Jeremy, though only 18 years old, already participated at all the three World Championships (Cadets, Juniors and Seniors) and the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore making him the first Maltese Judoka to ever participate in all these events.