Maghreb competitors dominate Med Games athletics

03/07/2009

Morocco scored several Mediterranean Games gold medals at athletics events held Thursday (July 2nd) in Pescara, Italy. Amine Laalou won the men's 800m, Jamal Chabli and Chakir Boujattaoui finished first and second in the 3,000m steeplechase, Hicham Bellani and Mohamed Amyn won the gold and the silver in the 10,000m race and Mohamed Moustaoui and Abdelaati Iguider finished second and third in the 1,500m. Moroccan boxers Driss Moussaid Mehdi Khalsi also won silver medals.

In the women's events, Hachlaf Halima claimed the silver medal in the 800m. Nadia Laaroussi Lalami and Fatima Zahra El Ellam defeated a Greek duo to win the bronze in the women's tennis doubles.

Algeria's medal tally increased to ten on Thursday. Boxer Rachid Hamani won the first gold medal for Algeria in the 75kg final, while Abdelhalim Ouradi and Abdelhafid Benchebla won silvers in the 58kg and 81kg categories. Runner Antar Zerguelaine won the gold for the men's 1,500m race.

Among the Tunisian participants, judoka Hajer Barhoumi (-52kg) won a gold medal. Ahmed Aouadi won the men's 1,500 m wheelchair race, while Samira Berri and Massaouda Sifi won the gold and bronze respectively in the women's 800m wheelchair event. In the volleyball competition, Tunisia defeated Albania 3-0 in sets.

Libya also won a gold medal in athletics, after Mohamed Khwala came in first in the men's 400m.