There’s something special about watching Team Malta compete on the world stage. Every race, lift and bowl carries a little extra weight when you’re representing one of the smallest nations in the competition, and Monday was another reminder that Malta’s athletes know exactly how to rise to the occasion.

The biggest cheer of the day belonged to weightlifter Kim Camilleri Lagana, who marked her Commonwealth Games debut with a personal best and a performance full of confidence.

Competing as the youngest athlete in the women’s 53kg event, Camilleri Lagana successfully opened with a 70kg snatch before raising the bar, quite literally, with a personal-best lift of 73kg. She then nailed lifts of 90kg and 93kg in the clean and jerk, briefly moving into the lead before taking on an ambitious 96kg attempt that would have lifted her two places in the standings.

Although the final lift wasn’t to be, the performance was all the more impressive considering she has been working her way back from an injury that limited her preparations. Finishing eighth on her Commonwealth Games debut is an achievement that bodes well for what’s ahead.

Earlier in the day, Malta’s fastest were out of the blocks as Claire Azzopardi and Graham Pellegrini took on the 100m heats. Azzopardi crossed the line in 11.87 seconds to finish third in her heat, while Pellegrini clocked 10.84 seconds in the men’s event. The pair will be back on the track on Wednesday for the 200m heats, ready for another crack at the competition.

Meanwhile, over on the bowling green, Shaun Parnis wrapped up his men’s singles campaign with a determined display against the Falkland Islands’ Cecil Alexander. While the match ended in a straight-sets defeat, Parnis leaves the singles competition with second place in his group.

If Monday kept Team Malta busy, today promises to be even busier.

Athletics fans will be watching Jared Micallef in the 800m and Matthew Galea Soler in the 400m, while artistic gymnast Philippa Busuttil takes centre stage in the Balance Beam Final. Swimmer Sasha Gatt returns to the pool for the 800m freestyle heats, and the weightlifting platform will see Rylee Borg, Roberta Tabone and Tenishia Thornton all flying the Maltese colours. Lawn bowls also continues, with Connie Rixon competing in the women’s singles and Shaun Parnis teaming up with Troy Lorimer in the men’s pairs against Malaysia.