Marlou Sotto Tiro
Special to Niagara Now/The Lake Report

Malea Viola, the granddaughter of the former lord mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Art Viola, was part of the U18 Team Canada that bagged the first place, gold medal during the United World Games competition held this summer in Klagenfurt, Austria.

“Gosh, I feel so happy that we’ve won, I never expected it,” said 17-year-old Malea.

“It was a game of three and my team was quite nervous because we were playing at a large stadium.”

The United World Games is considered the largest multi-sport event in Europe that attracts young athletes from more than 30 countries, intending to encourage sportsmanship and camaraderie, and promote cultural exchange through sports.

This year’s games were held from June 19 to 22 — Malea’s team beat Slovakia 3-2 in the championship game on June 22.

It encompasses various sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, and rugby.

Since its inception, the games have attracted several athletes worldwide of various age groups and skill levels.

Malea is a Grade 12 student at Fort Erie International Academy, a prominent private school in Fort Erie for grades 6 to 12 that nurtures future athletes. The school takes pride in its world-class education and has been a home to competitive international students.

At the academy, Malea is known for her athletic prowess where she won several interschool and regional sports competitions in Canada.

Like her grandfather, who is known to be resilient and dedicated to his work, Malea also has those character traits as she strove to be one of the best ball hockey players.

Her dream to become a proficient athlete came to fruition as she got her team the winning score.

“The right strategy and swiftness make a ball hockey player good with the game,” Malea said.

To be a skilled athlete, one needs to have insurmountable endurance, strength and good communication skills to obtain effective teamwork, she said.