Casablanca – Moroccan taekwondo athlete Soufiane Al-Asabi secured Morocco’s first gold medal at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, today.
Al-Asabi claimed the men’s over-80kg title after defeating Croatia’s Ivan Sabina 2-0 in the final.
The Moroccan had reached the gold-medal bout after overcoming Spain’s Ivan Garcia Martinez by the same score in the semifinal.
His victory marked Morocco’s first gold medal of the Taranto Games and added to a strong opening for the country’s taekwondo delegation.
Earlier today, Haytham Zaghouti won silver in the men’s under-80kg category, while Nada Laaraj took bronze in the women’s under-67kg division.
Morocco had already opened its medal account in taekwondo on Saturday through Amina Dahaoui, who claimed silver in the women’s under-57kg category.
The results give Moroccan taekwondo a total of four medals at the Games: one gold, two silver and one bronze.
Al-Asabi’s victory also provided the Moroccan delegation with its first top-place finish at the 2026 Mediterranean Games, strengthening the country’s early medal haul in Taranto.
The 20th edition of the Mediterranean Games is taking place in Italy, bringing together athletes from across the Mediterranean region in a wide range of sporting disciplines.
