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Chirault, Barbelin lead France’s medal charge with multiple finals at Mediterranean Games

27 August 2026

Taranto (Italy)

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France's Paris 2024 Olympic medallists Thomas Chirault and Lisa Barbelin reached their first finals of the season after continuing their impressive form at the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games on Thursday.

Chirault produced a perfect 30 in the final set, much like he started his round, to avoid a shoot-off and upset top seed and reigning World Archery Champion Andres Temiño Mediel 7-3 in the recurve men's individual semifinals.

The world number nine will face Italy's Francesco Gregori, a team bronze medallist at the Madrid 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup stage four, in Friday's gold medal match.

Sixth seed and 71st ranked Gregori had earlier knocked out Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Mete Gazoz in the quarterfinals before defeating Spanish teenager Diego Conde Collar 6-2 in the semifinals.

Chirault's impressive day continued in the mixed team event, where he partnered Caroline Lopez to edge Temiño Mediel and Elia Canales in a 5-4 shoot-off.

The French pair will face Gazoz and Dunya Yenihayat for gold after the Turkish duo recovered from a slow start to defeat home favourites Roberta Di Francesco and Matteo Borsani 6-2 in the semifinals.

Chirault also helped France reach the recurve men's team gold medal match, where they will face a Spanish side featuring Conde Collar and Temiño Mediel on Friday.

Barbelin, meanwhile, secured places in two gold medal matches – the recurve women's individual and team events.

The Paris 2024 bronze medallist edged top seed Di Francesco 6-5 in the quarterfinals before progressing to the individual gold medal match, where she will face Canales, the 2026 European Outdoor Championships silver medallist.

The world number eight Spaniard enjoyed a relatively comfortable route through the elimination brackets to set up the final against the 24th ranked Frenchwoman.

In the women's team event, Barbelin combined with Lopez and Laï-Tsan Randriantsara to defeat a Canales-led Spanish side in the semifinals and book a gold medal meeting with Türkiye's Elif Gokkir, Gizem Ozkan and Yenihayat. Barbelin held off an early challenge from Gokkir to win their individual semifinal 6-2.

The Turkish trio reached the final after overcoming a spirited Italian team featuring Di Francesco in a 5-4 shoot-off.

Competition at the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games continues with the individual and team finals on Friday.

Images courtesy of World Archery Europe.