Neil Agius Recreates Historic Toni Bajada Swim and Donates Cap

Stqarrija bil-Malti Agħfas Hawn / Press Release in Maltese Click Here Press Release│2 October 2026 Renowned ultra-endurance swimmer and Olympian Neil Agius completed a swim across the Grand Harbour, recreating the route attributed to the Great Siege hero Toni Bajada. Afterwards, he donated his swimming cap to Heritage Malta, where it will become part of the national collection. Agius set off from beneath the imposing walls of Fort St Angelo in Birgu and made his way upwards towards Fort St Elmo in Valletta. Accompanied by a Transport Malta boat, assuring safety throughout the endeavour, he completed the crossing in 30 minutes. More than 460 years ago, these waters presented a very different challenge. Toni Bajada, a Maltese man from Naxxar who had reputedly learned Turkish during his captivity by the Ottomans, was among those hand-picked by Grand Master Jean de Valette to infiltrate the enemy lines, joining four other Maltese spies. Local stories recount that Bajada courageously swam this route under cover of darkness to deliver vital intelligence. Most notably, he volunteered to deliver an urgent letter from Grand Master de Valette to the defenders of Fort St Elmo, who had endured nearly a month of relentless attacks. The letter urged them to hold their position. Following the commemorative swim, Neil Agius formally donated his swimming cap to Heritage Malta. This is the same cap he wore when he completed the world record for the longest unassisted, continuous open sea swim, around the Maltese Islands in 2024. The donation took place outside the early-18th-century St Anne’s Church, at Fort St Elmo’s Piazza d’Armi, which houses the remains of the knights who fell defending the fort during the Great Siege of 1565, as well as the National War Museum’s memorial. Following necessary procedural checks by conservators, the cap will become part of the national collection. Heritage Malta’s intention is to display it among the exhibits in a section celebrating prominent Maltese swimmers at the Malta Maritime Museum once it reopens. In this way, historic bravery is connected with modern athletic achievement. While thanking Neil Agius for his donation, Heritage Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, remarked that: “This swim demonstrated the relevance of Heritage Malta’s message that our heritage is alive. Neil Agius created a bridge between the past and the present and showed that our heritage remains alive when we find ways to make it resonate to life today.” Neil Agius stated that this swim made him reflect on Toni Bajada’s extraordinary courage and on how deeply the sea is woven into Malta’s story. He added, “It is a privilege to honour that connection and to contribute, in my own way, to its next chapter. Donating the swimming cap I wore during my world-record swim to our national collection makes this especially meaningful. I hope it reminds younger visitors that history is still being written, and that they, too, can contribute to the story of our islands.” Starting tomorrow, Saturday, 3rd October, the cap will be on display in the Great Siege section of the National War Museum at Fort St Elmo, opening free of charge in the evening for Notte Bianca. Visitors can view the display until Friday, 23rd October. The fort and museum open daily from 09:00 to 19:00, with free entry for Heritage Malta Student and Senior Passport holders. Latest News News | 2nd October 2026 New Heritage Malta Publication Takes Art Beyond Prison Walls News | 2nd October 2026 The Palace Tapestries: A Belgian Restoration News | 29th September 2026 Heritage Malta Strengthens Cultural Links With Portugal 25th September 2026 The Palace Tapestries: How the tapestries came to be Press Releases | 23rd September 2026 Wied Dalam Comes To Life As A New Green Space At Għar Dalam