Team Malta finished on top of the medals table for the first time since the Games of the Small Nations States of Europe started to be held in 1987.

The Maltese athletes bagged a total of 38 gold medals, 30 silver and 29 bronze, for a total of 97. It is, by far, the best performance ever, as the gold medals tally as well as the overall number of medals are the highest ever collected by Malta.

Malta’s best performances had been a fourth place in 1993 and 2003, both editions held also in Malta, and in 2011.

Other gold medals won on Saturday included that by Matija Pecotic and Matthew Asciak in the men’s tennis doubles.

Shooter Clive Farrugia also placed first in the skeet event ahead of team-mate Marcello Attard while Felix Wetzel won the men’s table-tennis singles gold medal.

In athletics, Graham Pellegrini (200m), James Arena (triple jump), Jordan Gusman and Gina McNamara (both 5,000m), and the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays all won their competitions.