Christos Christoforidis seemed unbeatable from the first round of the 80k.Beach Wrestling category. The Greek champion emphatically reached the gold medal, which is the first for Greece, at the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games. In the final he defeated 3-0 the Algerian Chawki Doulache (silver medal) and immediately after that he did the triumphal round with the Greek flag.
It was the Italian Gabriele Doro who won the bronze medal. The match with Frenchman Hugo Couenot ended in a 2-2 draw and in this case the winner was the athlete who scored the last point, in order. This was the Italian.
A real derby also took place in the final of the -70k beach wrestling between the Frenchman Quentin Sticker and Nikos Arouzmanidis. From the preliminaries they had shown that they were the two best in the category and that the gold would probably be decided between them. So it was.
After a strong battle in the final and while the score was 2-2, Sticker knocked the Greek wrestler out of the ring and won the gold medal 3-2.The bronze medal of the category was won by the Tunisian
Khaier Eddine who defeated Spain’s Carlos Alvarez Iglesias 3-1.
In the women’s -60k, Italy’s Francesca Indelicato has proved once again that the title of “Queen of Sand” fully belongs to her. She was the medal winner at the Heraklion Beach Games. She defeated 3-0 the Tunisian, Chaiamaa Fuzia Aouissi who took the silver medal. The bronze went to Spain’s Victoria Baez Dilone who won 3-0 over Greece’s Christina Kamenitsa.
Men -70kg.
Nikos Arouzmanidis (Greece) – Quentin Stiker (France) 2-3
Bronze medal game
Carlos Álvaros Iglesias (Spain) – Khaier Eddine (Tunisia) 1-3
Final -80kg.
Chawki Doulache (Tunisia) – Christos Christoforidis (Greece) 0-3
Bronze medal game
Hugo Cuenot (France) – Gabriele Doro (Italy) 2-2
Women -60kg.
Final
Chaiamaa Fuzia Aouissi (Tunisia) – Francesca Indelikato (Italy) 0-3
Bronze medal game
Maria Victoria Baez Delone (Spain) – Christina Kamenitsa (Greece) 3-0
Flash quotes
Women
-60kgr
Francesca Indelicato (Italy): “I know they call me The Queen of Sand and that’s exactly how I feel when I’m fighting. The Queen! I won my first medal in 2017 and then I realized for the first time my talent in the sand and understood more about myself. Later on I had an injury that made it difficult, but I also made it to the World Beach Games in Doha. Then in 2019 I had the best day of my life by winning the gold medal. Then, I realized that “Queen of Sand” is the most beautiful thing written about me, but it also reflects reality. When I compete I always feel like I’m going to win. I have reached high levels of concentration and have changed as an athlete for the better since I have been mentored by a mental coach. I have reached an even higher level.”
Chaiamaa Fuzia Aouissi (Tunisia): “When you fight with the Indelicato, the match is always difficult. She is the best. I will keep trying and I hope to do even better in the future.”
Maria Victoria Baez Delone (Spain): “I hope one day to compete in a final with Francesca Indelicato. She is my icon and a final against her is my dream”.
Men
-70kgr
Quentin Sticker (France): “I enjoyed the final so much. It was a very strong fight. Niko and I know each other from the Patras Beach Games. I was very happy because I had a lot of supporters in the stands, but also because my family was able to see me via livestreaming.”
Nikos Arouzmanidis (Greece): “This is the second medal I have won at the Mediterranean Beach Games and I am happy about it. I could have won the gold, I tried, but it didn’t come”.
Khaier Eddine (Tunisia): “It was a very difficult fight, but it was also a good race. I am happy with my medal”.
-80kgr
Christos Christoforidis (Greece): “It feels very good when you win a gold medal in your own country. I want to dedicate the gold medal to my mother Maya, whom I love very much. I also dedicate it to all those who were close to me and supported me. I wanted this medal because I’m coming off an injury and surgery that kept me out for a long time.”
Chawki Doulache (Tunisia): I fought sick and with a stomach issue. I am sad. I wanted the gold”.
Gabriele Doro (Italy): “The fight was controversial and difficult. It was a strong battle and in the end I got the last point and won. I am very happy to have done it”.
