Italia Team won the medal table of the third edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games event dedicated to beach sports organised by the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (CIJM).

On the island of Crete, the Italian athletes won a total of 42 medals (13 golds, 16 silvers and 13 bronzes) improving upon the result of the last edition, where in Patras Italy had clinched 39 medals (15 golds, 13 silvers and 11 bronzes). Fundamental to the medal standings were today’s three triumphs in finswimming, beach volleyball and beach tennis, which allowed Italy to catch Greece, who came to a halt with 10 silver medals.

There were Italian celebrations on the central court of the Karteros Beach Centre in Heraklion, where the beach volleyball finals were held with three Italian pairs on the podium at the Mediterranean Beach Games.

A battle for gold between teammates in the final in the women’s table saw Reka Orsi Toth and Giada Bianchi overcoming the duo made up of Margherita Bianchin and Claudia Scampoli with a score of 21-12, 21-15.

Silver medals went to Davide Benzi and Carlo Bonifazi, pitted in the tournament’s final showdown against French brothers Quincy and Calvin Aye. The Azzurri, who earlier in the day had faced and eliminated the other Italian pair in the semi-finals, were defeated 20-22, 13-21.

Seventeen-year-old Silvia Belli triumphed in the 2 km open-water fins, finishing in 22’37”4 and edging out Spain’s Sonia Fargas Mexia by 40”. Third was Tunisia’s Sarra Ben Ahmed. In the monofin specialty, over the 4 km distance, silver went to Mara Zaghet and bronze to Davide De Ceglie. The same Zaghet and De Ceglie then took bronze in the mixed 4x2 km monofin relay, teamed alongside Silvia Sevignani and Lorenzo Caronno.

Gold medal for Nicole Nobile and Flaminia Daina in women’s beach tennis doubles thanks to a 6-0, 6-2 success in the final against France’s Claude and Mathilde Hoarau and fourth place for Sofia Cimatti and Giulia Gasparri defeated 3-6, 6-2, 10-12 in the battle for bronze with Spain’s Costa/Fenandez. Bronze for Azzurri Becaccioli/Giovannini who defeated the other Italian pair Bollettinari/Spoto 6-7, 6-2, 10-6.

In the evening, the closing ceremony with the handover of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games’ (CIJM) flag between the Greek city and Portugal’s Portimao and Lagoa, which will host the fourth edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games in summer 2027.