Italy is the undisputed star of the swimming events at the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto 2026. The Italian team won almost half of the medals up for grabs: 51 out of the 105 awarded, representing 48.5 per cent.

Its dominance was unchallenged across all four days of competition. On 22 August, they started with 13 medals, adding a further 13 on 23 August, nine on 24 August and 16 on 25 August, bringing the total to 51, including 19 golds. A sensational number, almost tripling that achieved by the second-placed nation, Greece, which ‘stopped’ at 18. Portugal finished in third place with 7 medals, including 3 golds.

Among the most successful swimmers, the Portuguese athlete Francisca Soares Martins stands out with four medals. Close behind, with three each, are eight athletes: the Italians Gabriele Mancini, Alberto Razzetti, Francesco Lazzari and Lisa Angiolini; the Greeks Anna Ntountounaki, Apostolos Christou and Dimitrios Markos; and the Portuguese Camila Rodrigues Rebelo.