Italy top medalist in Mediterranean Games

MERSIN – Anatolia News Agency

Turkey ranked second in the list of medal-winning countries yesterday, hours before the games ended, with 46 gold, 41 silver and 35 bronze, while Italy stood alone atop the medal count list with 185 medals as the last day’s events continued at the 17th Mediterranean Games in Turkey’s Mersin province.

Turkey, ending the ninth day with eight gold, five silver and five bronze medals, had won 122 medals in total but the rush for medals was continuing in several sports when the Hürriyet Daily News went to print yesterday.

Turkey placed second in the medal count list overall, where it was followed by France, Spain and Egypt.

Italy was on top with 69 gold, 52 silver and 64 bronze medals before the last day’s events ended.

Turkey won two historic gold medals, both in women’s tennis singles and doubles at the Games.

The pair Çağla Büyükakçay and Pemra Özgen won their finals against Anastasia Grymalska and Federica Di Sarra competing for Italy, clinching a historic gold. Büyükakça also won the singles competition, beating her Spanish rival Sara Sorribes Tormo in two sets.

The Turkish Martial Arts team also delivered a stunning performance, sweeping the medals in Karate by winning six golds and two silvers, finishing in a medal position in almost every category.

In the women’s competitions Serap Özçelik in the 50 kg category, Tuba Yenen in 55kg, Hafza Şeyda Burucu in 68 kg, and Meltem Hocaoğlu in +68kg, clinched a record number of gold medals. Bahar Erşeker added a silver in the 61 kg category.

In the men’s competitions, Ömer Kemaloğlu in the 67 kg category and Serkan Yağcı in 75 kg both won golds. Enes Erkan earned a silver medal in the +84 kg category, completing an almost perfect run.

Elsewhere at the Games, Turkish athlete Ümmü Kiraz won a rare medal in long distance running with a bronze in the half-marathon race.