France’s Reboisson Clemence won the gold medal at the 3rd Mediterranean Coastal Games “Heraklion 2023”, winning the Women’s Triathle at the beach of Ammoudara, in Malevizi, after an exciting battle.
The 22-year-old Rebuasson won with a time of 19:46.1 after taking the lead in the fourth of five laps from Italian Alice Rinaldo and held it to the end, in an event that was included in the event for the first time this year and combines running, swimming and shooting.
Alice Rinaudo eventually won second place with a time of 20:04.2 (+18.1 seconds from the winner), while another French representative, Lea Fernandez, rounded off the medal trio with a time of 20:13.8 (+27.7).
From Greece, Ariadne Naskari (7th with a time of 21:50.3, +2:04.1 difference from the winner), Theodora Kalogeropoulou (8th with 21:59.8, +2:13.7 difference) and Penelope Nika, who was in 11th place after the 3rd round but suffered a muscle spasm and could not complete her attempt.
The Women’s Triathle featured 14 athletes from six countries (Egypt, Spain, France, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece) who ran a total of 3,000m in five rounds of 600m, swam 200m in four rounds of 50m and performed four rounds of five-point laser pistol shooting aiming for 20 accurate shots in total.
The games were attended by the President of the International Modern Pentathlon Federation (UIPM), Dr. Klaus Sorman, the President of the Hellenic Modern Pentathlon Federation, Mrs. Dora Pallis and the representative of the in the Hellenic Olympic Committee and President of the National Olympic Academy, Mr. George Alikakos.
“I would like to congratulate all the participants and the organisers, and of course a big ‘thank you’ to the volunteers. We saw great races and I am happy that the Mediterranean sports family accepted Triathle in this great event in Heraklion”, said Dr. Klaus Sorman.
Clemence Reboisson (FRA, 1st place): “It is an honor for me to become the first gold medal winner at the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games “Heraklion 2023”! It was a very tough race. My goal was the first place, just as I had done in the European Championships. I had a bad round in shooting, so in the last round I knew that I had to make five out of five shots and move very quickly, in order for me to return to the top spot. Then I did the last running lap very fast and everything was OK for me”.
Alice Rinaudo (ITA, 2nd place): «I came here to do my best and search for the victory, but I am very happy with the second place. I fought until the end and I did everything I could. I tried to push Clemence Reboisson in the last running lap, but I was really without energy. The atmosphere was great, I really enjoyed it. It was a good competition and it is very nice to be here in Greece”.
Lea Fernandez (FRA, 3rd place): “I did very well in running and swimming, but I was horrible in shooting. Still, I’m pleased with the 3rd place and the bronze medal that I won, because it is an improvement for me after the 4th place at the 2022 World Championships in Madeira”.
