Team Malta’s Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign continued with action in athletics and lawn bowls, where several contests were decided by small margins.
Gina McNamara and Jared Micallef represented Malta on the track, while Connie Rixon secured her first victory of the Women’s Singles lawn bowls campaign. Shaun Parnis and Troy Lorimer were also involved in a closely fought Men’s Pairs match.
McNamara Takes on the Classic Mile
Gina McNamara competed in the women’s one-mile race, a distance which is now rarely included in major athletics programmes.
She stayed with the demanding early pace during the opening kilometre before the leading athletes made their decisive move with around a lap and a half remaining.
McNamara continued battling until the finish and crossed the line in 10th place with a time of 4:48.33.
Although the result was outside her Maltese national record of 4:44.57, it was another determined performance on the Commonwealth stage.
Micallef Faces World-Class 800m Field
Jared Micallef returned to the track after progressing from the men’s 800m heats with an impressive time of 1:46.99.
Competing in the second semi-final, the Maltese runner committed himself to the fast early pace and passed the halfway point in 50.9 seconds.
Micallef maintained his effort into the closing stages, but the leading runners accelerated strongly around the final bend and into the home straight.
He finished the semi-final in 1:48.24. The athletes at the front of the race all recorded times faster than Micallef’s Maltese national record, underlining the quality of the field he faced.
Dramatic First Victory for Connie Rixon
There was success for Malta at the lawn bowls venue as Connie Rixon claimed her first win of the Women’s Singles campaign.
Facing the Falkland Islands’ Daphne Arthur-Almond, Rixon started strongly and comfortably won the opening set 10–4.
Her opponent responded in the second set, producing important final bowls to edge it 5–4 and force a tie-break.
The deciding end brought further drama. Rixon appeared to be holding two shots before the Falkland Islands’ third bowl was initially judged to be closest.
An official measurement was requested, with the final decision going Malta’s way. Rixon was awarded the shot and secured a hard-earned victory.
Rixon Pushes Australian Opponent to Final End
Rixon returned later in the day to face Australia’s Ellen Fife in another closely contested match.
Both players produced consistently accurate bowls, matching each other throughout an opening set which ended in a 5–5 draw.
The second set also remained undecided until the final end. Rixon needed three shots to win the set or two to force a tie-break.
Despite another determined effort, she collected one shot, with Fife taking the set 6–5 and securing the match.
Jersey Edges Malta in Men’s Pairs Tie-Break
Shaun Parnis and Troy Lorimer made an encouraging start to their Men’s Pairs contest against Jersey, winning the opening set 5–1.
Malta also began the second set well, but the Jersey pair recovered and narrowly won it 4–3, sending the match into a tie-break.
Both teams produced quality bowls during the deciding stage, but Jersey prevailed 2–0 to take the match.
More Maltese Athletes in Action on Friday
Team Malta’s programme continues on Friday, 31 July, with competitors involved in judo, athletics and lawn bowls.
Judoka Katryna Esposito will compete in the women’s under-48kg quarter-finals, while James Zahra enters the men’s under-60kg elimination round of 16. Both competitions are scheduled to begin from 11am.
At Scotstoun Stadium, Rachela Pace will take part in Group B of the Women’s Long Jump qualifying round.
Connie Rixon will continue her Women’s Singles lawn bowls campaign with matches against Jersey and England. Parnis and Lorimer will return for a Men’s Pairs encounter against Guernsey.
Following a day filled with close results, Malta’s representatives will be hoping to build on their performances as the Games continue.
Credit: Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images
