Rabat – Moroccan taekwondo athlete Amina Dehhaoui won the silver medal in the women’s under 57kg category at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, giving Morocco its first medal of the competition.
Dehhaoui produced a strong performance throughout the tournament before advancing to the gold-medal bout against Türkiye’s Hatice Kübra İlgün.
The final was marked by a controversial refereeing decision, with Dehhaoui penalized for an illegal strike in the second round, bringing her challenge for the gold medal to an end.
Despite the disputed finish, Dehhaoui secured a place on the podium and opened Morocco’s medal count at the Mediterranean Games.
Born in February 2008, Dehhaoui has already built an impressive international record. wining gold in the 55kg category at the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships before moving up to the 57kg division.
Series of triumphs
In 2025, she claimed gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, defeating Türkiye’s Maria Sainabou Marchlinski in the final.
Following her success, Dehhaoui won another major title at the World U21 Taekwondo Championships in Nairobi in December 2025, winning the 57kg category after defeating Spain’s Carla Sesar 2-0 in the final.
Dehhaoui also reached the podium at the Roma 2026 Grand Prix in June, winning bronze in the women’s -57kg category.
The silver medal in Taranto adds another major international podium finish to Dehhaoui’s growing record and gives Morocco an early medal at the Mediterranean Games.
