MEDITERRANEAN GAMES 2022

We saw plenty of action in Oran, Algeria on day two of these Mediterranean Games, with the nations of Italy, Turkey, Greece and others collecting more gear.

More competition records have bitten the dust with three days of racing still to go at this quadrennial competition.

50 WOMEN’S BUTTERFLY – FINAL

Within 0.30 of his own national record, the Greek flyweight ace Anna Ntountounaki won gold in the 50m sprint to kick off day two of the Mediterranean Games.

Hitting the only time under the 26-second threshold, Ntountounaki led a pair of Italians, with Viola Scotto di Carlo clinch silver in 26.25 while a teammate Sonia Laquintana completed the top 3 in 26.38.

The gold is a big improvement on Ntountounaki’s 4th place at the 2018 edition of these Games, as she recently placed 10th after the 50m butterfly semi-finals at this year’s World Championships. (25.89).

MEN’S 50m BRASSEMBRE – FINAL

italy Fabio Scozzoli found success in the men’s 50m breaststroke, setting a new championship record in the event en route to gold.

The 33-year-old prop clocked 26.97, hitting the wall just 0.03 ahead of the Turkish speedster Emre Sakci. Sakci settled for silver in 27.00 while Slovenia Peter John Stevens also landed on the podium in 27.46 for bronze.

Scozzoli and Stevens repeated their place on the podium at the 2018 Mediterranean Games, although Scozzoli was slower 4 years ago with a winning time of 27.25 while Stevens was faster in the past with 27.32. Sakci finished 4th in 27.48 at this meet in Tarragona, Spain.

WOMEN’S 200m FREE – FINAL

21 years old Janja Segel led a Slovenian punch 1-2 in the women’s 200m freestyle, clocking 1:56.68 to win the event title in a new championship record.

Opening in 57.04 and closing in 59.64, Segel clocked the best time of his career. Entering this competition, she was ranked No. 2 all-time in the nation with a PB of 1:57.32 last May. Only national record holder Sara Isakovic had been faster with the Slovenian standard of 1:54.97 since the 2008 Olympics.

Although still a long way from that mark, Segel entered new territory with her first-ever time of 1:56, while her teammate Katja Fain‘s 1:57.49 also registered as his personal best. She shaved 0.34 off the 1:57.83 she also recorded in May of this year.

MEN’S 100m FREE – FINAL

• GOLD – Philippe Megli (ITA), 49.00
• SILVER – Diogo Ribeiro (POR), 49.02
• BRONZE – Allessandro Bori (ITA), 49.12

Although the men’s 100 freestyle was a bit slow, it was indeed a close race. The top 3 were only separated by 0.12, with two Italians at the top of the podium with a Portuguese swimmer in the middle.

Philippe Megli finished first in 49.00, while his teammate Allessandro Bori was good enough for bronze in 49.12. He was the winner of yesterday’s 50m butterfly, Diogo Ribeiro of Portugal, just 17, who took silver in 49.02 tonight.

It should be noted that the championship record in this event remains the fast 47.83 of Frenchman Alain Bernard established during the 2009 edition of these quadrennial Games.

WOMEN’S 100m Breaststroke – FINAL

A brand new podium replaced that of the 2008 Mediterranean Games in the women’s 100m breaststroke, with Italy Lisa Angiolini finish with gold. She produced a time of 1:07.59 as the only swimmer less than 1:08 in the field, her mark here being the 5th fastest performance of her career.

His teammate Anita Bozzato was not far behind, with a time of 1:08.14 for the silver, keeping the Turkish breaststroke Viktoria Gunes at the bay. Gunes, who placed 5th in this same event 4 years ago, took the podium with bronze in 1:08.44 tonight.

400 IM MEN – FINAL

• GOLD – Pier Matteazzi (ITA), 4:13.83
• SILVER – Anse Fers Erzen (SLO), 4:19.63
• BRONZE – Pietro Sarpe (ITA), 4:20.41

Italy came up on the board with another gold medal in the evening, as Matteazzi Quay battled for victory in the men’s 400m individual medley.

With a time of 4:13.83, the 24-year-old took the podium decisively, beating the field by nearly 6 seconds.

The money went to Slovenia Anse Fers Erzen in 4:19.63 while Pietro Sarpealso from Italy, earned bronze in 4:20.41.

WOMEN’S 800m FREE – FINAL

The Turks took both gold and silver in the women’s 800m freestyle, led by a 17-year-old Merve Tuncel. Tuncel took the victory in 8:26.80 while her compatriot Deniz Ertan was tonight’s runner-up in 8:29.03.

Tuncel, the current junior world record holder in the short course 1500m freestyle, had won bronze in the 400m individual medley earlier in the competition.

31 year old Italian Martina Caramignoli earned bronze in 8:31.75.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – FINAL

• GOLD – Camila Rebelo (POR), 2:10.41
• SILVER – Africa Zamorano (ESP), 2:11.48
• BRONZE – Ekaterina Avramova (TUR), 2:12.72

To crown the night, Camila Rodrigues Rebelo of Portugal set a new national record en route to gold in the women’s 200m backstroke.

Opening in the first half by 1:04.29 and closing in 1:06.12, Rebelo dipped below the 2:11 mark for the first time in his career, smashing his national record and record of 2:11.18 from last April.

Behind her was the Spaniard Africa Zamorano who touched in 2:11.48 as Turkey’s national record holder Ekaterina Avramova completed the top 3 in 2:12.72.

While the 2018 version of these Games saw Italy’s Margherita Panziera claim gold, Zamorano and Avramova were in the same medal positions as tonight. Four years ago, Zamorano scored silver in 2:11.75 while Avramova took bronze in 2:13.43.

Swimming Medal Chart to Day 2