Malta Karate Federation contingent places fourth in European Small States Championships

Maltese athletes land 32 medals

The Malta Karate Federation team have just returned from a very successful participation at the 10th Small States of Europe Championships that were held in Monaco last month.

The contingent returned home with a healthy tally of 32 medals – seven gold, eight silver and 17 bronze to place fourth overall from nine participating countries.

The Malta team was formed by 43 athletes and was led by MKF IT Director Audrey Zammit.

The Maltese athletes were guided by coaches Michelle Vella, Michelle Conti, Matthew Vella, Josef Antonelli, and Joseph Mizzi.

During the tournament, Malta was represented by four referees, namely Susan Sciortino, Anthony Zammit, Frank Vella and Jason Edwards.

MKF president Kenneth Abela, remarked that the results themselves show that this has been a very successful competition.

“The MKF Executive Committee along with all its technical staff are committed to continue building on this success and supporting its athletes to reach even better and higher competitive results,” Abela said.

In the kumite division, Thyis Antonelli returned home with two gold medals around her neck when topping the -66kg division and then teamed up with Amie Cauchi, Emma Mizzi, and Valentina Kaya Sultana to place first in the juniors team event.

Ylenia Attard, Leia-Summer Madden and Skye Micallef-Gauci placed first in the U-14 female kumite division while Jaden Grech topped the U-14 male class with Nathan Abela taking bronze.

The other first-placings came in Kata where Jessica Vella won the Female Kata event while Francesca Saliba took the junior female title ahead of team-mate Evie Roadley-Battin

The team formed by Jack Agius Barthet, Leonardo Hachanon and Matthew Scerri took gold in the U-18 division.

The female trio formed by Roadley-Battin, Annabel Vella, and Jessica Vella placed second in the Kata team event while Jenna Awad-Attia, Valentina Borg, Jade Conti, and Arianna Montanelli took silver in the U-18 female team event.

Other silver medallists were Louie Attard (Junior Kumite Male +76), Luke Galea (Kumite -84kg), Jake Vella (U-14 Kata), Leia-Summer Madden (U-14 Kumite -47kg), Amy Cunningham (U-21 Kumite Female Open division) and Kai Leyshon (U-21 Kumite -84kg category).

Malta’s medal tally in the championship also included 17 bronze medals.

Jenna Awad Attia, Valentina Borg, Jade Conti and Arianna Montanelli teamed up to take third place in the Kata Female team event while Ashley Borg, Thais Galea, Dakota Micallef Gauci, and Mariah Mizzi took bronze in the kumite cadets team event.

Ramaz Kurtsadze, Luke Galea, Ibrahim Koska halil, Kail Leyshon placed third in the kumite seniors team event while Nathan Abela, Jaden Grech, Kaydon Spiteri, and Luigi Spiteri won bronze in

the U-14 kumite team competition.

Awad Attia took third place in the Cadet Kata while Isaac Gatt won bronze in the cadet’s -63kg kumite class.

The other bronze medal winners are Jeremy Atard (Junior Kumite -55kg), Heorhii Denysov (Junior Kumite –76kg), Ramaz Kurtsadze Kumite -67kg), Ibrahim Koska Halil (Kumite 84kg+), Dawn Dimech (U-14 Kata), Jake Vella (U-14 Kumite -40kg), Kaydon Spiteri (U-14 Kumite -55kg), Eleonora Conti and Jessica Vella (U-21 Kata Female), Amy Cunningham (U-21 Kumite Female -68kg).