Arab Athletes Are Off to a Flying Start at the Mediterranean Games

The 20th Mediterranean Games are officially underway in Taranto, Italy, bringing together athletes from 26 National Olympic Committees across the Mediterranean. Running from August 21st to September 3rd, the Games feature thousands of athletes competing across a wide-ranging programme of Olympic and non-Olympic sports, with padel making its Mediterranean Games debut this year.

And as of Day 3 of competition, athletes from Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are already on the podium, combining for eight medals; one gold, two silver and five bronze. Tunisia leads the Arab medal haul with five medals, followed by Egypt with two and Morocco with one.

Gold: Abdelrahman Sameh, Egypt

Egyptian swimmer Abdelrahman Sameh Elaraby delivered one of the biggest Arab results of the opening day, winning gold in the men’s 50m butterfly.

Sameh touched the wall in 23.18 seconds, beating Italy’s Lorenzo Gargani, who took silver in 23.35, and Greece’s Stergios-Marios Bilas, who won bronze in 23.37. His time also broke the Mediterranean Games record, giving Egypt its first gold of Taranto 2026.

Silver: Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi, Tunisia

Tunisia’s Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi claimed silver in the men’s -68kg taekwondo competition, adding another major international podium to his résumé.

The Tunisian world champion reached the final before losing to France’s Souleyman Alaphilippe. Jendoubi had earlier progressed through the draw with wins over Slovenia’s Ožbolt Mlej, Greece’s Apostolos Panagiotopoulos and Croatia’s Marko Golubic.

Silver: Amina Dehhaoui, Morocco

Morocco’s Amina Dehhaoui opened the country’s medal account with silver in the women’s -57kg taekwondo.

Dehhaoui defeated Tunisia’s Chaima Toumi in the semifinal to reach the final, where she faced Türkiye’s Hatice Kübra İlgün. The Moroccan eventually finished with silver after the final was stopped in the second round following a ruling on an irregular punch.

Bronze: Farida Osman, Egypt

Egyptian swimming star Farida Osman added a bronze medal in the women’s 50m butterfly, finishing in 26.32 seconds.

She shared the podium with Greece’s Anna Ntountounaki, who won gold in 26.11, and Italy’s Viola Scotto Di Carlo, who took silver in 26.29. Osman’s result gave Egypt its second medal of the Games, alongside Sameh’s gold.

Bronze: Farès Ferjani, Tunisia

Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Farès Ferjani secured bronze in the men’s sabre fencing competition.

Ferjani was narrowly beaten in the semifinal by Türkiye’s Enver Yildirim, but still secured a place on the podium. His bronze was Tunisia’s first medal of Taranto 2026 before the delegation added four more later in the day.

Bronze: Ahmed Jaouadi, Tunisia

Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Jaouadi took bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle, clocking 3:49.13.

Greece’s Dimitrios Markos won gold in 3:47.07, while Italy’s Alessandro Ragaini finished second in 3:49.02. Jaouadi came through strongly in the final to secure Tunisia another podium finish.

Bronze: Mohamed Yassine Ben Abbès, Tunisia

Another Tunisian swimmer, Mohamed Yassine Ben Abbès, also reached the podium, taking bronze in the men’s 200m backstroke.

Ben Abbès finished in 1:59.43, behind Greece’s Apostolos Siskos, who won gold, and Italy’s Matteo Venini, who claimed silver.

Bronze: Chaima Toumi, Tunisia

Tunisia’s fifth medal came from Chaima Toumi, who won bronze in the women’s -57kg taekwondo.

Toumi advanced to the semifinals before losing to Morocco’s Amina Dehhaoui, who went on to win silver. Türkiye’s Hatice Kübra İlgün ultimately took gold, meaning the Tunisian left the competition with a bronze medal.

Bronze: Nadhir Harbi, Algeria

Algeria kicked off its medal campaign in Taranto with Nadhir Harbi taking bronze in the men’s -58kg taekwondo.

Harbi made it through to the semifinals, where he faced Türkiye’s Enes Kaplan. The Algerian lost the bout 2–0, sending him into the bronze-medal position.