Medal Success and Strong Team Spirit for Special Olympics Gibraltar in Liechtenstein

Special Olympics Gibraltar (SOG) has returned to the Rock celebrating a highly successful participation in the Small Nations Bocce Tournament in Liechtenstein, bringing home an impressive haul of medals and memorable experiences. The team of seven athletes produced an outstanding performance across the three-day competition, competing in doubles round-robin matches against six other nations.

Gibraltar made a perfect start on the opening day, recording a clean sweep of six wins. Highlights included a dominant 11–1 victory for Julian De Las Heras and Frederick Barker against the host nation, while a mixed Gibraltar/Luxembourg pairing featuring Dominic Hemmi also impressed in the top division. Strong performances across all teams saw Gibraltar finish the day leading their divisions.

The second day proved more challenging, with tough early matches resulting in several losses. However, the team showed resilience and determination, bouncing back with important victories. Notable wins came from Miguel Rubio and Francis Avellano, as well as brothers Marvin and Dorian Zammit, while Julian De Las Heras and Frederick Barker secured their first win of the day in a closely fought contest against Iceland.

Off the field, the athletes enjoyed a gala dinner on Saturday evening attended by Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, adding to the overall experience of the Games. Also a train tour of the principality, a tour of Vaduz and some time to spend shopping.

Finals day on Sunday brought further success for Team Gibraltar. Marvin and Dorian Zammit secured a bronze medal in the top division after a narrow 5–4 victory over Malta. Francis Avellano and Miguel Rubio delivered a strong campaign to claim silver in their division whilst Julian De Las Heras and Frederick Barker were crowned gold medallists after a convincing 9–2 win in their final.

A standout story of the tournament was the mixed-country pairing of Gibraltar’s Dominic Hemmi with a Luxembourg athlete. Despite language barriers, the duo demonstrated the true spirit of Special Olympics, finishing with an excellent silver medal in the top division.