taly’s 2,500th medal at the Mediterranean Games bears the hallmark of cycling. The hat-trick in the women’s road race – with gold for Rachele Barbieri, silver for Martina Fidanza and bronze for Barbara Guarischi – has enabled Italy to achieve a milestone never reached by any other nation in the history of the Games. France, second in the all-time medal table, has yet to pass the 2,000 mark, whilst Turkey, in third place, is on the verge of reaching 1,000.

On the eve of Taranto 2026, Italy had already won 2,462 medals in previous editions. In two and a half days, it added the 38 it needed to reach 2,500. Specifically, on the first day the Italian team won 13 medals, on the second 22, and in the first race of this third day they secured the remaining three.

Italy’s first medal at the Mediterranean Games arrived in Alexandria 1951, and the Italian has stood on the podium in all 20 editions.