San Marino’s first medals at the XX Mediterranean Games in Taranto 2026 have come from bocce. The tally is an impressive one: two golds and a bronze, with the Sammarinese anthem played twice at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Montemesola.
The star of the day was Jacopo Frisoni, who claimed two titles. In the individual event, he beat Croatia’s Luka Zure 8-3 in the final to secure his first gold medal. Shortly after, he added a second title in the men’s pairs alongside Enrico Dall’Olmo. The two Sammarinese athletes edged out Croatians Piric and Zure in a hard-fought contest, sealed 7-6 in the final and decisive frame.
Rounding off a memorable day for bocce was the bronze won by sisters Stella and Giada Paoletti. The Sammarinese pair dominated their clash against Tunisia’s Dabboussi and Zekri, winning comfortably 10-2.
The medal ceremony was attended by the Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva, the Secretary of State for Sport Rossano Fabbri, Cons president Christian Forcellini, and Secretary General Eros Bologna.
San Marino has thus immediately climbed to three medals: two golds and a bronze. The result already improves on the country’s performance at Oran 2022, where the blue-and-white team took home one gold, one silver, and one bronze.
Stella Paoletti also came agonisingly close to a podium finish in the women’s individual event, losing 7-6 to Algeria’s Maidi in the bronze-medal match. Paoletti had led 6-4 heading into the final frame, only to see her opponent snatch the three points needed to overtake her.
In shooting, after the first 75 targets of trap qualifying, Alessandra Perilli sits eighth with 67 hits — a position that would currently see her through to the final. Martina Tonini is thirteenth with 59. In the men’s event, Gian Marco Berti is 21st with 68, while Simone Rigoni is 26th with 59. The final two qualifying rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, followed by the finals.
San Marino’s swimming campaign, meanwhile, has come to an end. Ilaria Ceccaroni finished the 50m freestyle in 29.09 seconds, placing sixth in her heat, while Alessandro Rebosio achieved the same result in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:06.87.
On Wednesday, San Marino’s programme will expand with debuts in five further disciplines. In archery, Kristina Pruccoli and Giorgia Cesarini will take to the field, while Agata Alina Riccardi competes in shooting. The table tennis team event and finswimming will also get underway, with Sofia Fratti competing in the 50m apnea. Later in the afternoon, attention turns to tennis, where Silvia Alletti — following a first-round bye — will face Italy’s Vittoria Paganetti, the No. 8 seed, in the round of 16.
