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19th Mediterranean Games in Oran: sport at heart

12 days of sports, competitions and celebrations: the 19th Mediterranean Games came to an end on 6 July in Oran, Algeria. About 3400 athletes from 26 countries of three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe) competed in 24 sports: from athletics to swimming, football, judo and gymnastics, to name a few. Italy won the most medals, ahead of Turkey and France. Algeria is fourth in the medal table ahead of Spain.

Italy wins most medals, Turkey comes second

Italy leaves Oran with the biggest haul: Italian athletes won 159 medals: 48 gold, 50 silver and 61 bronze, putting them in the lead for the fifth year in a row.

Italy was particularly successful in swimming with 34 medals: a team performance, but also individual successes, such as that of swimmer Matteo Rivolta, who won the 100-metre butterfly – with a record time of 51.66 seconds – and the 4×100-metre medley relay, and took silver in the 50-metre butterfly. “I am happy with the result, I have been going through quite a tough time in the past few months, so I am very happy with today’s result and I am quite confident about my future,” said the swimmer.

Turkey almost took the lead in the medal table: The country won only 3 gold medals less than Italy (out of a total of 108 podium finishes), with athletes shining especially in wrestling, athletics and swimming.

Algeria is record-breaking

Hero of the homeland were the Algerian athletes who missed out on third place behind France in the gold medals with only one title. The hosts finished with a record number of medals: 53 in total, including 20 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze – better than 21 years ago in Tunisia.

Notable are the 5 gold medals won in boxing and athletics. Historic is the gold-silver double in the 800 m race for the Algerian runners Djamel Sedjati and Yacine Hethat.

One of the successful athletes is the young judoka from Oran, Messaoud Redouane Dris, who triumphed in the -73kg category, cheered on by his audience. “It was a great honour for me,” says the 2022 African champion and Algerian flag bearer. “I__ve won a gold medal, it was a huge joy. The spectators supported me and cheered me on. Even my parents were present. “

The incentive of the spectators

The local athletes felt the pressure to shine. The enthusiastic crowd certainly contributed to the success of the event – the stands were always well filled with cheering spectators

A crowd that cheered not only for their compatriots, but for all the athletes. “Everything is great, the Oranians have a big heart, it’s not for nothing that they say ‘Oran at heart’. You are welcomed … it’s wonderful,” a woman from Algiers tells us.

“The Mediterranean Games are associated with Oran,” says a girl in the stands. “Oran means generosity, it’s the Mediterranean, really a beautiful atmosphere, a solidarity between nations and a great respect for foreigners. “

It is certain that Algeria’s second largest city has benefited from this event: in sports infrastructure, in experience with major events, but also in notoriety in the Mediterranean. The president of the Oran 2022 Organising Committee (CIJM), Mohamed Aziz Derouaz, is convinced of this: “I think that the whole world and especially the whole of Europe, the Mediterranean countries, the Asian and African countries have enjoyed ‘real Olympic Games’_. These Games will turn a new page for Oran, both in terms of sport and tourism, because many of the participants want to return to Oran as tourists.”_

The flag handover

The 19th edition closed its doors just as it had opened them: with a spectacular ceremony in the Olympic Stadium.

In the stands, 40,000 spectators of all ages witnessed the spectacle: Music, dance, fireworks and joy as the 26 delegations presented themselves for the last time on the athletics track. And finally: the handover to the city that will host the three-county sporting event in four years’ time: Taranto, in the south of Italy.

By Arnold