Abstract
Many different personal, social, and structural factors determine the experienceand success of teams in international tournaments. This study aimed to explore some ofthese factors by looking at similarities and differences in the experiences of two variedlysuccessful Maltese teams involved in international competitions. Athletes from SpecialOlympics Malta and a Maltese male senior national team participating in the World Gamesand European Championships respectively were recruited to the study. A total of 11 athletesof Maltese nationality, aged 14-38 years, were interviewed before and after their respectivecompetitions and provided audio diary entries about their experiences during thecompetitions. Semi-structured interview data and diary entries were transcribed verbatimand analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results found contrastingattitudes, aspirations, and feelings among participating athletes. How these themesintersect with various layers of influence using an ecological system lens is discussed andprovides an insight into what appropriate support structures may benefit Maltese athletesin the future.
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