Ruth Beitia in action in Paris World Champs (© Getty Images)
The 15th Mediterranean Games concluded in Almería, Spain, yesterday (Sat 2) with the hosts winning three more events during the last day. This meant a total of nine gold medals for Spain, just short of ten for France, the best nation in athletics competitions in Almeria. France also had a total of 30 medals in the competition with Spain in second place with 26.
Spain won the both 4x400m relays, men clocked 3:04.84 and women 3:31.45 with France taking the second place in both competitions.
Ruth Beitia added a third gold in the women's High Jump with a winning height of 1.95m, the same height also achieved by Melanie Skotnik, the former German now representing France, for the second place. Beitia cleared 1.95m with first attempt where Skotnik needed all three of them.
Dragana Tomasevic (SCG) won the women's Discus with a throw of 62.10m, just short of her national record of 62.28m set this season.
Ali Saidi-Sief (ALG) won a close finish in the men’s 5000m in 13:29.94 ahead of Hicham Bellani (MAR) 13:30.35 and Khoudir Aggoune (ALG) 13:30.54 for third. All three times were season bests.
In the men's 400m Hurdles Gianni Carabelli (ITA) was fastest with 49.32, his countryman Laurent Ottoz just narrowly missed the win with his second place finish and time of 49.41, a season's best.
Salim Sdiri (FRA) recorded another 8 metre competition winning the Long Jump with 8.05m. Edis Elkasevic, the biggest favourite in the Shot Put, won with a best of 20.26m. Manuel Martinez (ESP), who is having a weak season, took the second place with a 19.97m toss.
In the Half Marathon Zhour El Kamch (MAR) was the fastest woman with 73:50 and Said Belhout (ALG) won the men's competition in 65:01. Fatima Lanouar (TUN) won the 1500m in 4:10.77 her season's best time, and Marie Collonvillé (FRA) was the only Heptathlete over 6000 points winning with a total of 6017.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
