#122: Rising Stars 3 Celebrates Malta’s Growing Taekwondo Community

The Malta Taekwondo Association successfully hosted the third edition of Rising Stars, bringing together athletes from across the local taekwondo community for another full day of competition, development and sportsmanship.

Rising Stars was created with a simple but important objective: to provide athletes in Malta with regular opportunities to compete.

Competition is an essential part of an athlete’s development. Beyond medals and results, it provides an opportunity to test what has been learned in training, experience the pressures of competition, build confidence and courage, and identify the areas that must be improved before stepping onto the mat again.

Rising Stars 3 demonstrated exactly why these opportunities matter.

The event welcomed an exceptionally diverse field of competitors, ranging from just 5 years of age to 40, from the lightest junior divisions at -18kg through to +87kg, and from white belts taking their first steps in the sport to experienced black belts and national team athletes.

For several competitors, Rising Stars 3 represented their very first experience of competitive taekwondo.

Taking those first steps onto the competition area can be daunting. Regardless of age or experience, every athlete must learn to deal with nerves, uncertainty and the pressure of competing in front of coaches, teammates, family and spectators.

The Association was therefore particularly pleased to see not only the standard of competition throughout the day, but also the courage and sportsmanship displayed by the athletes.

Opponents shook hands before competing, fought hard when the match began, and showed respect to one another when it ended. Teammates supported each other from the sidelines, while parents, families and friends created an encouraging atmosphere around the competition areas.

These moments are every bit as important to the development of Maltese taekwondo as the results themselves.

A Competition Built by Volunteers

Rising Stars 3 would not have been possible without the considerable contribution of the volunteers, referees, coaches and officials who gave their time throughout the event.

Their work extended across every part of the competition — from refereeing and match management to the preparation and operation of electronic equipment, athlete organisation and the many tasks required behind the scenes to keep an event running.

Remarkably, some of those helping throughout the day were themselves young athletes, with volunteers as young as eight years old contributing to the event.

The Malta Taekwondo Association extends its sincere appreciation to every person who contributed.

Regular domestic competition does not happen by itself. It depends upon people being willing to give their time and energy so that Malta’s athletes have a platform on which to compete, showcase their abilities and continue their development.

Through that collective effort, events such as Rising Stars can continue to provide athletes with goals to work towards while strengthening the local taekwondo community as a whole.

More Than the Medals

The Malta Taekwondo Association congratulates all athletes who achieved podium finishes at Rising Stars 3.

At the same time, the Association strongly encourages those who did not achieve the result they had hoped for to see the competition for what it is: one step in a much longer journey.

For developing athletes in particular, the true value of competition cannot always be measured by the colour of the medal around their neck.

It can be found in having the courage to compete for the first time.

In executing something under pressure that previously only worked in training.

In discovering a weakness that can now be addressed.

In learning how to win with humility and how to accept defeat with determination.

And, ultimately, in returning to training afterwards as a better and more experienced athlete than the one who arrived.

Rising Stars exists to create those opportunities.

Following another successful edition, the Malta Taekwondo Association would like to thank all participating athletes, coaches, clubs, referees, volunteers, parents, families and supporters who contributed to Rising Stars 3.

Together, they continue to build an environment in which Maltese taekwondo athletes — from first-time competitors to experienced national players — have the opportunity to test themselves, develop and grow.

The medals mark the results of one day. The athletes we build through these experiences represent the future of Maltese taekwondo.

Placings

Children, mixed, - 18 kg (C)

1. Mila Barbara (ITL)

2. Leonardo Asciutto (ITL)

Children, male, - 22 kg (B)

1. Noah Barbara (ITL)

2. David Sammut (ITL)

Children, male - 22 kg (C)

1. David Sammut (ITL)

2. Milan Zdimal (ITL)

Children, female, - 18 kg (C)

1. Mila Barbara (ITL)

2. Marija Gellel (ITL)

3. Charlotte Gatt (ITL) & Alisia Schembri (Strive)

Children, female - 20 kg (C)

1. Ekaterina Schembri (Strive)

2. Marija Gellel (ITL)

Children, mixed, - 26 kg (B)

1. Jack Zarb (ITL)

2. Alayah Shembesh Gatt (Strive)

Kids, male, - 26 kg (B)

1. Tyas Mifsud Calleja (ITL)

2. Dias Micallef (ITL)

Kids, male, - 32 kg (B)

1. Saleh Abdul Latif (ITL)

2. Ben Gatt (ITL)

3. Matthew Vella (Strive)

Kids, male, - 32 kg (C)

1. Saleh Abdul Latif (ITL)

2. Senthil V, Arjun (ITL)

Kids, male - 36 kg (C)

1. Davide Asciutto (ITL)

2. Senthil V, Arjith (ITL)

Kids, male, - 40 kg (B)

1. Aleksei Lukin (Strive)

2. Aiden Abela Taylor (ITL)

Kids, male - 48 kg (B)

1. Aiden Abela Taylor (ITL)

2. Diego Riolo (Strive)

Kids, male + 48 kg (B)

1. Aleksei Lukin (Strive)

2. Kane Falzon (Strive)

Kids, female - 32 kg (C)

1. Poppy Ward Bonnici (ITL)

2. April Sammut (ITL)

Kids, female - 40 kg (C)

1. Alyanna De Leon (Strive)

2. Ruth Cutajar (Strive)

Kids, female - 48 kg (C)

1. Jade Bileci (ITL)

2. Ruth Cutajar (Strive)

Cadets, male, - 33 kg (A)

1. Dwayne Micallef (ITL)

2. Zach Zammit (ITL)

Cadets, male, - 37 kg (A)

1. Oliver Gatt (ITL)

2. Aleksei Lukin (Strive)

Cadets, male, - 41 kg (A)

1. Noah Kitcher Deguara (Strive)

2. Zak Kitcher Deguara (Strive)

Cadets, male, - 53 kg (A)

1. Luca Falzon (ITL)

2. Andrew Catania (Strive)

Cadets, male +65 kg (B)

1. Nazar Baranishyn (Strive)

2. Salvatore Riolo (Strive)

Cadets, female - 47 kg (A)

1. Eva Mifsud Calleja (ITL)

2. Nina Gellel (ITL)

3. Aisha Shembesh Gatt (Strive)

Cadets, female - 51 kg (B)

1. Jasmine Ward Bonnici (ITL)

2. Anastasiia Lukiina (Strive)

Juniors, male - 59 kg (A)

1. Robin Zammit (ITL)

2. Brayden Micallef (ITL)

Juniors, female, - 45 kg (C)

1. Aisha Shembesh Gatt (Strive)

2. Anhelina Hladchenko (ITL)

Juniors, female, - 55 kg (A)

1. Eva Mifsud Calleja (ITL)

2. Kendra Magro (Strive)

Juniors, male, - 63 kg (A)

1. Luke Chircop (Strive)

2. Robin Zammit (ITL)

Seniors, female, - 62 kg (A)

1. Albany Soto (Strive)

2. Alycia Cassar (ITL)

Seniors, male, - 87 kg (A)

1. Cezary Poczobutt Odlanicki (ITL)

2. Jerome Vassallo (Strive)

Seniors, male, - 63 kg (A)

1. Fergeson Galea (ITL)

2. Luke Chircop (Strive)

Veterans, male +87 kg (A)

1. Gianluca Barbara (ITL)

2. Mauro Busuttil (Strive)