Follow Team Malta at this year’s Olympics in Tokyo

The Maltese contingent has started to trickle into Tokyo, as COVID-19 regulations stipulate that athletes arrive no earlier than five days prior to their competition and leave no later than two days after their event concludes.

Badminton player Matthew Abela was the first to arrive and start training. He was followed by shooter Eleanor Bezzina and swimmers Andrew Chetcuti and Sasha Gatt with their coach Artem Goncharenko. The remaining athletes are expected to arrive by the end of the week.

The tentative schedule for competitions are as follows (times quoted above are Tokyo times).

Sunday 25 July

Badminton, 12:40pm, Men’s Singles: Matthew Abela vs Shi Yu Q (CHN)

Shooting, 9am, 10m Air Pistol Qualifications: Eleanor Bezzina

Swimming, 8:39pm, 400m Heats: Sasha Gatt

Monday 26 July

Swimming, 8:32pm, 1,500m heats: Sasha Gatt

Tuesday 27 July

Weightlifting, 11:50am, 64kgs: Yazmin Zammit Stevens

Swimming, 7pm, 100m heats: Andrew Chetcuti

Thursday 29 July

Shooting, 9am, 25m Pistol Qualifications: Eleanor Bezzina

Friday 30 July

Athletics, 9am, 100m Heats: Carla Scicluna

The Opening Ceremony takes place Friday 23 July at 8pm at the Olympic Stadium. The Maltese Flag will be carried by shooter Eleanor Bezzina and swimmer Andrew Chetcuti who both have competed in previous Olympic Games.