Five athletes are representing Malta in the Olympic Games - sprinter Beppe Grillo, judoka Katryna Esposito, shooter Gianluca Chetcuti, and swimmers Sasha Gatt and Kyle Micallef.
While preparing for the opening ceremony in Paris last Friday, three of them found the time to tell Times of Malta about themselves and what they hope to achieve. Meet Beppe Grillo, Katryna Esposito and Kyle Micallef
Beppe Grillo
Athletics - Men’s 100m Preliminary Round
Grillo's greatest achievement to date has been clocking a time of 10.23 seconds in the 100 metres at the Balkan Championships, where he also secured Malta’s first bronze medal in the event. That performance earned him a spot as Malta’s wild card in the athletics category for the Olympic Games.
His says his goal at the Olympics is to surpass his personal best. Ideally, he hopes to reach the semi-finals, a feat he believes is within reach. Grillo transitioned from football to athletics at the age of 14. He describes himself as generally lazy, except when it comes to sports, acknowledging that laziness hinders progress in athletics.
Katryna Esposito
Judo - Women’s 48kg Preliminary Rounds
Esposito began practising judo at the age of four, training under the guidance of her father to whom she obviously attributes her passion for the sport. Apart from being a member of Team Malta, Esposito's most notable achievements include winning bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and securing silver at this year's Algiers Africa Open following a recovery from injury.
Regarding her aspirations for the Olympics, Esposito stated: "I want to leave the mat knowing I gave it my all." When not competing or training, she says she enjoys being in touch with nature with her friends, family, and dogs. In addition to her accomplishments in judo, Esposito is also a skilled amateur baker.
Kyle Micallef
Swimming - Men’s 50m Freestyle Heats
Micallef, an Australian native, aims to make himself, his family, and Malta proud at the Olympics by recording a satisfactory time in the 50m freestyle. His greatest achievement has been winning gold in the 50m freestyle and the 4x100 relay at the 2023 GSSE.
"I have been swimming since I was two months old," said Micallef, who started competing at age seven. A sports enthusiast, Micallef is excited to watch various events in person and meet athletes he has long admired.
The two other athletes on Team Malta are Gianluca Chetcuti, who competes in the Shooting—Men’s Skeet competition, and Sasha Gatt, who competes in the Swimming—Women’s 1500m Freestyle Heats.