Malta GSSE 2023: Malta bags its first gold in judo as Sultana sisters reach squash final

Malta bagged its first gold medal at the Games of the Small States of Europe with 22-year-old Katryna Esposito winning the judo 48kg category on Tuesday.

Esposito had won the bronze medal in the same category during the Commonwealth Games last year.

But Malta is also assured of gold and silver medals in the squash women's singles competition after sisters Colette Sultana and Lijana Sultana reached the final on Tuesday.

The siblings will compete against each other at the Marsa Sports Club at 5:30pm to bag the first medals for Team Malta in the Games of the Small States of Europe.

In the first semi-final Colette Sultana beat Cypriot Vaso Karasava 11-2 and 11-4 to reach the final.

In the second semi-final Lijana Sultana had a harder nut to crack when facing Luxembourg's Sandra Denis. Lijana lost the first set 8-11 then won the second set 11-5. A thrilling decisive third set saw Lijana get the better of her opponent winning with a closed 14-12 to join her sister in the final.