At the XX Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, archer Francesco Gregori captured the silver medal, marking the sole medal for the Italian delegation during the tournament held in Crispiano, Italy. The event took place with Italian Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi and Crispiano Mayor Lo Pomo observing from the grandstands.
Gregori’s Path to the Individual Silver Medal
Francesco Gregori, competing for the Marina Militare, faced France’s Thomas Chirault in the final. Chirault, ranked number nine in the world and a team silver medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, controlled the final by shooting consistently within the yellow scoring ring. Chirault defeated Gregori 7–1, taking three sets by scores of 28–27, 30–27, and 28–24, while drawing one set at 29–29.
Reflecting on his performance after the competition, Gregori stated: “This medal is very important to me. Today I experienced a truly exciting day, also because it is my first individual international podium with the senior national team. I experienced very strong emotions, both this morning in the team event and today in this individual final, also because managing the shot in this heat was difficult and beautiful at the same time. I am very happy with the result both for the medal won and for the experience lived.”
Team Finals and Additional Italian Results
Italy also contested three bronze-medal matches in the team disciplines during the final day of archery competition, falling short in all three encounters. In the women’s team event, the trio of Tatiana Andreoli, Roberta Di Francesco, and Chiara Rebagliati faced Spain, losing 1–5 after the Spanish team built an early 4–0 lead before conceding a single point in the third volée.
The Italian men’s team, consisting of Matteo Borsani, Francesco Gregori, and Massimiliano Mandia, met a Turkish squad featuring Akkoyun, Gazoz, and Tumer. Turkey claimed the bronze-medal match 6–0 with set scores of 57–53, 55–54, and 57–56. Meanwhile, the mixed team pairing of Roberta Di Francesco and Matteo Borsani dropped a 3–5 decision to the world champions from Spain, losing out on crucial line-cutter points after opening the match with a 39–37 advantage.
Broader Context at the Mediterranean Games
Despite the finals losses in the team events, Gregori’s silver medal preserved a longstanding tradition for Italian archery at the Mediterranean Games. Italian archers have secured a spot on the podium at every participation of the multi-sport event. Gregori noted that the tournament served as a valuable learning experience as he looks ahead to future international competitions and winter training blocks.
