Prime Minister Robert Abela and his wife Lydia Abela met with the Maltese contingent for the 2024 Olympics in Paris a few hours ahead of the opening ceremony.

Abela, who is attending at the invitation of the President of France Emmanuel Macron and the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, spoke with the Maltese athletes and wished them well in the prestigious sporting event.

The Office of the Prime Minister said that Abela met with the athletes in the athletes’ village. The OPM said that the government’s support in sports will continue strongly so that athletes can continue being invested in along with the country’s sports infrastructure.

Team Malta is comprised of five athletes, those being Katryna Esposito (Judo), Beppe Grillo (Athletics), Gianluca Chetcuti (Shooting), Sasha Gatt (Swimming), and Kyle Micallef (Swimming). The OPM said that Chetcuti and Gatt would be carrying the Maltese flag during the Olympic opening ceremony, which is set to take place this Friday evening.

The OPM said that the Prime Minister wished the athletes well and to deliver a performance for themselves and the country. He said that the athletes should do this with determination and that the spirit of Team Malta and the unity brought forward by sports are behind the country’s athletes, whom he said deserve all the support.

Aside from the athletes of Team Malta, the Prime Minister also spoke with the rest of the Maltese contingent, including the President of the Maltese Olympic Committee Julian Pace Bonello and the Chef de Mission of Malta Paul Sultana.