The XX Mediterranean Games in Taranto officially came to a close after almost two weeks of competition, during which around 4,500 athletes from 26 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia competed at one of the Mediterranean’s largest multisport events.
Montenegro was represented by 55 athletes across 13 sports, with the Montenegrin team concluding its participation in Taranto with six medals. Our athletes competed in athletics, bocce, boxing, judo, sailing, karate, padel, swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, shooting, taekwondo, tennis and water polo.
Athlete Marija Vuković won gold in the high jump, successfully defending her title from the previous Mediterranean Games. Mediterranean Games debutant Jovana Damjanović claimed silver in karate, while bronze medals were won by fellow debutant and karate athlete Balša Vojinović; boxer Bojana Gojković, for whom this was a second Mediterranean Games medal; and bocce player Gracija Stjepčević, for whom a Mediterranean Games medal was the only one missing from his extensive collection of honours.
In the only team sport in which Montenegro competed at these Games, the national water polo team won the silver medal after losing 18–14 to hosts Italy in the final. The “Sharks” reached the final with a perfect record, defeating Greece, Serbia and Slovenia in the group stage before overcoming Spain in the semi-final.
The Mediterranean Games in Taranto marked Montenegro’s fifth appearance at the competition since the restoration of independence. Montenegrin athletes had won a total of 22 medals at the previous four editions, bringing Montenegro’s overall Mediterranean Games tally to 28 medals following Taranto.
“We are leaving Taranto with six medals, but we do not measure the performance of this team solely by the number of medals. We had a large number of young athletes, debut appearances, finals and athletes reaching the closing stages of their competitions, confirming that Montenegro has a generation on which it can build during the next Olympic cycle. I congratulate the medal winners, but also every one of our athletes who represented Montenegro with distinction. The Mediterranean Games provide valuable experience on the road towards the next major competitions and Los Angeles 2028,” said Dušan Simonović, President of NOC Montenegro.
Montenegro’s flag at the Opening Ceremony was carried by boxer Bojana Gojković and swimmer Miloš Milenković, who led the Montenegrin delegation at the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium. At the Closing Ceremony, the Montenegrin flag was carried by Marija Vuković and Vasilije Radović.
This year’s Mediterranean Games held additional significance for Montenegrin sport, taking place in the year in which Montenegro marks two decades since the restoration of independence and two decades since Montenegrin athletes began competing under their own flag at major international sporting events.
The next multisport event featuring Montenegrin athletes will be the IV Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, from 31 October to 13 November. Dakar 2026 will also be historic, as the African continent will host an Olympic event for the first time.
PHOTO and VIDEO gallery – Team MNE @ Taranto 2026 – https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD2GR8