badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...
player affiliated with Paola badminton club. He competed at the
2020 Summer Olympics
The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...
Abela started playing badminton when he was 5 years old. His father, a Badminton coach, would bring him along to training sessions. He trained at the Paola badminton club, and entered the Maltese national team foe the first time in 2011. He won his first U19 national junior title in 2011, and by the end of 2019 had collected eleven U19 national junior titles. He made his international debut in the junior level tournaments in 2013, and to improve and with the intention to improve his game to become a better badminton player, he joined Badminton Europe's Centre of Excellence, based in
Holbæk
Holbæk () is a town in Denmark and the County seat, seat of Holbæk municipality with a population of 30,903 (1 January 2025).
By 2021, Abela had won six men's singles title and one mixed doubles title at the Maltese National Championships. He was selected to participate at the delayed
2020 Tokyo Olympics
The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...
held in 2021, with partition granted through the IOC Tripartite Commission (invitation places). In doing so, Abela became the first badminton player to ever represent
Malta at the Olympics
Malta has competed in 18 Summer Olympic Games and 3 Winter Olympic Games, but hasn’t won a medal yet.
As of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games no Maltese competitor has won an Olympic medal, but shooter William Chetcuti (who has won World Championsh ...
.
He competed for Malta at the
2022 Commonwealth Games
The 2022 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Birmingham 2022, were an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations that took place in Birmingham, England betw ...
in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, England playing doubles alongside Sam Cassar.
Competing at the
South Africa International
The South Africa International is an international badminton tournament held in South Africa organised by Badminton South Africa, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA). Since 2018, this tourna ...
in 2024, he won gold in the Men’s Doubles together with his doubles partner Maxim Grinblat, defeating
Dorian James
Dorian Lance James (born 19 June 1981) is a male badminton player from South Africa.
James competed in badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics in men's doubles with partner Stewart Carson. They were defeated in the round of 32 by Howard Bach and ...
and Robert Summers in three sets in the final.
Personal life
Abela is a fan of
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...
and has stated his favourite ever player is
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and a former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of Liverpool's greatest ever players,BWF International Challenge
The BWF International Challenge is a grade 3 and level 1 tournament part of Continental Circuit of BWF tournaments along with International Series (level 2) and Future Series (level 3), sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2007.
...
tournament
:
BWF International Series
The BWF International Series is a grade 3 and level 2 tournament part of Continental Circuit of BWF tournaments along with International Challenge (level 1) and Future Series (level 3), sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2007.
...
tournament
:
BWF Future Series
The BWF Future Series is a grade 3 and level 3 tournaments part of Continental Circuit of BWF tournaments along with International Challenge (level 1) and International Series (level 2), sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) since 2007. ...