The 2023 Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) held in Malta rank among the biggest sporting achievements not only for this year but in the history of Maltese sport. In fact, Team Malta managed to win a record haul of 97 medals, of which 38 were gold to finish at the top of the medals’ standings for the first time ever since the Games’ inception in 1985. Valhmor Camilleri looks back at Team Malta’s achievements during this year’s biennial Games…

The expectations were high for Team Malta at the 2023 GSSE, particularly after the government’s unprecedented financial support for the athletes’ technical preparation for the Games.

In fact, in the run-up to the biennial Games, the Maltese Olympic Committee, who were responsible for the athletes’ preparation in the ten disciplines held, benefited from a record grant of €4.9 million.

These funds enabled the ten participating federations to provide their athletes with much-needed funds to not only attend several training camps abroad but more importantly the opportunity to compete in high-profile international events.

Such investment reaped the desired dividends as Team Malta achieved the unthinkable when placing first in the medals’ standings ahead of bigger countries such as Cyprus, Luxembourg and Iceland.

Never in the history of the Games has our country managed to beat all the other small European countries, with our previous best result being a fourth place in three editions – 1993, 2003 and 2011.

Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com