Silver for Berak and bronze for Sgardelli in karate, silver and rowing pair

At the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Croatia secured two medals on the opening day of September 2nd, 2026, with Ema Sgardelli earning bronze in karate and Boran Berak claiming silver in the men's pair rowing event. The competition saw multiple athletes contributing to Croatia’s record-breaking total of 36 medals, surpassing the previous high set in 1993. Ema Sgardelli, a former European champion in karate, competed in the -50kg category. Despite losing her initial bout against Italian competitor Erminia Perfetto with a score of 0-6, she rebounded strongly in the repechage rounds. She defeated Syrian Asfouri 8-0 and Greek Pappe 8-0, securing a bronze medal. This performance marked a resilient comeback for Sgardelli, who had previously been crowned European champion. Boran Berak, competing in the -67kg category, advanced through the tournament with victories over Turkish Ozer 3-2, Montenegrin Dulovic 2-0, and Moroccan Oubay 3-2. He reached the final, where he was ultimately defeated by Macedonian Belistojanovski 0-6. Despite the loss, Berak’s consistent performances highlighted his strength and determination throughout the competition. In the women's individual categories, Sadea Becirovic fell short of a podium finish after losing the bronze match to Turkish athlete Eltemur with a narrow margin of 4-3. Meanwhile, Mia Greta Zorko and Dino Simunec remain in contention for bronze medals in their respective weight classes, having advanced to the next stage of competition. The Croatian duo of Josipa Jurkovic and Goran Mahmutovic claimed silver in the mixed doubles rowing event. They finished behind Greece’s gold-winning team but ahead of Italy, which took third place. Both athletes also participated in individual races earlier in the day, with Jurkovic placing fifth in the A final and Mahmutovic finishing fourth in the B final. On the sailing field, Lovre Bakotic achieved notable success in the ILCA 7 class, finishing first in the ninth race and third in the tenth. His results placed him in ninth overall with 94 points, while Josip Tafra came in 12th with three more points. Leading the standings is French sailor Mayer, who holds 36 points. These performances underscored Croatia’s competitive presence in both rowing and sailing disciplines. Croatian athletes continued to make their mark across various sports during the games, demonstrating resilience and skill. With the competition still ongoing, further achievements are anticipated, particularly in the remaining events. The nation’s athletes have already contributed significantly to the medal tally, setting the stage for potential new records.