From May 29th to June 3rd, the 18th biennial multi-sport event, the Games of the Small States of Europe, took place in San Marino. Competing members included Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino. The sporting events consisted of archery, athletics, basketball, boules, cycling, judo, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball.
The competition, organized by the members of the European Olympic Committees, was founded in order to provide the countries of Europe with under a million people their own sports event. The first congress met in 1981 in Baden-Baden, and the first Games took place in 1985.
Luxembourg won the most medals – ninety-eight in total and thirty-eight gold. Liechtenstein won eighteen medals – nine bronze, five silver, and four gold.
Swimmer Julia Hassler, a 24-year-old born in Schellenberg, won three of Liechtenstein’s four gold medals. An Olympian and national-record holding champion, Hassler won gold in the women’s 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle competitions. She also won silver in the 100m freestyle, making her the most decorated of Liechtenstein’s athletes in the Games. Christoph Meier won the fourth gold medal for Liechtenstein, also in swimming, for the men’s 400m medley competition.
The next Games of the Small States of Europe will take place in 2019 in Budva, Montenegro. This will be the first times that the Games take place in Montenegro, the most recent member country, joining the Games in 2009.