The opening day of finswimming at the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games featured a stunning medal haul for Greece and a new Mediterranean record for Tunisia’s Youssef Nefati.
The first gold medal of the day was won by Greece’s Vassilia Tsigkoia with 16.89, in the 50m AP. Croatia’s Dora Bassi finished second with 17.04 and France’s Anais Verzer third with 17.41.
“I wanted it very much and I tried. Apart from delight, I feel very proud because on the one hand it is the first medal of the Games and on the other hand I won it in my country. My desire, my concentration and the boost to my confidence after our success at the recent European Championships played a very big role in my victory. I dedicate it to my coach Cesare Fumarola and to my club, the Sailing Club of Thessaloniki,” Tsigkoia emphasised.
In the 100m BF, Tunisia’s Youssef Nefati combined his victory with a new Mediterranean record, finishing in 42.52. “I expected to win. The decisive point was the 50 metres, to form and make a difference. Because of a thigh injury, I didn’t know if I would have endurance, after the turn. Anyway, it’s great to hear your country’s national anthem in a foreign country. I am happy to honor and carry on the tradition of Oussama Mellouli and Ahmed Hafnaoui“.
Elias Kalfidis was very fast in his debut at the Mediterranean Beach Games. He won the gold medal in the 400m SF with 3:05.11. “I am very excited that my first time at the Games was combined with a gold medal. I hope to do just as well at European and World Championships.” Turkey’s Derin Toparlak finished second in 3:05.98 and Italy’s Lorenzo Carono third in 3:0749.
George Panagiotidis finished first in the men’s 100m SF with 35.48 and after his finish he was in a good spirits and humorous. “This is why I came here. When you compete at home there is no other choice than gold. I felt really good from the start of the race and nothing had to happen during the race to give me an advantage. I went in for the gold and I got it. I chose finswimming because I get excited about speed. I swim fast, but I don’t race the car to avoid getting a ticket.”
The silver medal was won by Giorgos Kaltsoukalas with a time of 35.98 and the bronze medal by the Egyptian, Seifeldin Abdellraman with 36.58.
The women’s 50m BF was won by Italy’s Viola Magoga with 22.30. Georgia Peraki finished second with 22.31 and Lydia Panteloglou was third with 22.58.
Viola Magoga noted after the medal ceremony: “I felt that I was in very good shape and my mental strength peaked. The two Greek athletes, Peraki and Panteloglou had better performances than me so I had to give my best to overcome them.”
In the 200m SF, Italy’s Silvia Sevignani won in 1:32.34. Her compatriot Georgia Destefani finished second with 1:33.60 and Ifigenea Teliousi third with 1:34.19. Sevignani said after her victory: “I am very, very happy with my performance and the medal. I took the gold with a new personal best”.
In the 200m BF, the gold medal was won by Egypt’s Logine Abourlous in 1:49.67, the silver by Italy’s Silvia Belly in 1:49.81 and the bronze by Greece’s Yolanda Kaperda in 1:50.19. “There are no words to describe my happiness. I have been training morning and night to get to this level and I feel happy,” Abourlous said.
Greece completed its impressive presence with the gold medal in the 4×100 m. mixed SF event with 2:33.19. France was second with 2:35.39 and Italy third with 2:36.14.
