Casablanca – Boxer Saida Lahmidi secured Morocco’s second gold medal at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Italy today after her French opponent, Maëlys Richol, withdrew before the under-70kg final.
Lahmidi had earned her place in the gold-medal bout after a dominant semifinal performance against Turkey’s Dilara Sak on Wednesday.
The referee stopped the contest after determining that Lahmidi had established clear superiority, sending the Moroccan through to the final.
She was then crowned champion without having to fight, following Richol’s withdrawal before the bout.
Lahmidi’s triumph comes after Moroccan taekwondo athlete Soufiane Al-Asabi delivered the delegation’s first gold medal of the Games in the men’s over-80kg category.
Al-Asabi defeated Croatia’s Ivan Sabina 2-0 in the final after recording the same score against Spain’s Ivan Garcia Martinez in the semifinals.
Lahmidi’s victory therefore gives Morocco its second top-place finish at the Mediterranean Games, adding to an increasingly successful medal campaign in Taranto.
The 20th Mediterranean Games are being held in Italy, bringing together athletes from countries across the Mediterranean in a broad programme of sporting events.
