Heraklion, September 16, 2023 - At the third edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games, held in Heraklion (Greece) from 9 to 16 September, Croatia was represented by 30 male and 28 female athletes in ten sports. With the eleven (2 gold + 3 silver + 6 bronze) medals won, they achieved the most successful performance at the Games and placed sixth in the final medal ranking.
Gold medals were won by the fin swimmer Ognjen Marić in 200 m BF and the men's beach handball team. The women's double (CW2x) in rowing beach sprint Paola Girotto and Martina Kaić, the men's team in 3x3 basketball (Luka Jurički, Borna Antolić, Jakov Jacović, and Roko Sedlar) and fin swimmer Dora Bassi (50 m AP) won silver medals. After silver, Bassi took her first bronze in individual event in 100 m SF, and second bronze as a member of the mixed finswimming relay with Nikola Đurđević, Filip Strikinec, Gloria Galić, and Ognje Marić. The bronze medal was also won by the mixed relay team in rowing beach sprint (Nino Varat, Nickol Udovicic, Sara Žuvanic, Martina Kaic, Paola Girotto, and Lovre Puh), and Nickol Udovicic and Nino Varat added another in men's double (CM2x) in the same sport. Beach wrestler Tomislav Hader (up to 90 kg) also won a medal of the same brilliance, and the basketball women's team 3x3 (Ivana Ujević, Nikolina Dujić, Marija Soldo and Nina Prnjak) also managed to win bronze.
Portimao Lagoa (Portugal) will host the next edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games in four years.
