The women's quartet pose with their bronze medal.
Team Malta won its first medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games after the women’s pairs team beat Canada 17-8 in the lawn bowls bronze medal play-off in Gold Coast on Monday.
This is an impressive achievement from the team formed by Sharon Callus, Rosemarie Rixon and her daughters Rebecca and Conneigh-Leigh, who have secured Malta’s its first ever medal in the sport at the Commonwealth Games.
The Maltese quartet didn’t have it all their way as they had to come from behind against Jackie Foster, Joanna Cooper, Priscilla Westlake and Leanne Chinery who were leading 3-0 after the opening end.
But the Maltese team kept their composure and started to impose themselves into the game and once they took a 6-5 lead after the sixth end there was no way back for the Canadians.
In fact Team Malta gradually continued to increase their advantage to stroll to a convincing victory.
The men’s pair of Brendan Aquilina and Shaun Parnis could not emulate their female counter parts when they lost to Cook Islands 17-11.
Aidan Zittersteijn and Taiki Paniani gave Cook Islands a strong start as they surged into a commanding 7-0 lead by the third end.
But the Maltese refused to throw in the towel and managed to bridge the gap to level the match at 10-all at the end of the 12th end.
But Cook Islands stepped up the momentum in the final five ends to secure victory.
Malta's lawn bowls women's fours celebrate their bronze medal in Gold Coast. Photo: Maria Vella Galea