Egyptian karate star Taha Tarek added another gold medal to Egypt’s tally at the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games after winning the men’s +84kg event in a dramatic final against his Croatian opponent.

The Egyptian athlete secured the title after a match that remained open until the final seconds. Taha was behind on the scoreboard and appeared close to defeat before producing an impressive late comeback to turn the contest around and claim gold.

Eight-Second Comeback

Taha Tarek was trailing the Croatian athlete 3-1 as the match entered its final moments, but the Egyptian refused to give up.

With only eight seconds remaining, Taha scored three consecutive points to complete an incredible turnaround and win the final 4-3, securing another gold medal for Egypt.

His victory highlighted his determination and focus under pressure. Despite being behind late in the contest, Taha stayed composed and took advantage of his final opportunity to change the result and defeat his Croatian rival.

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Egypt Reaches 53 Medals

Taha Tarek’s gold medal increased Egypt’s total at the Mediterranean Games to 53 medals, including 21 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals.

Egypt is competing in 23 sports at the Games, including athletics, archery, boxing, equestrian events, fencing, gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, rowing, shooting, table tennis, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.

The Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games continue until September 3, with Egyptian athletes still competing across several sports as the delegation looks to finish the event with the strongest possible medal total.

Historically, Egypt ranks sixth among the most successful nations in Mediterranean Games history, with a total of 620 medals: 156 gold, 209 silver and 255 bronze.