Naiara Liñán Wins Andorra's First Mediterranean Games Medal in Taekwondo
Andorran taekwondo athlete Naiara Liñán secured bronze at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, defeating opponents from Lebanon and Bosnia before a semi-final loss. This is Andorra's first-ever medal in the event.
Key Points
- Naiara Liñán beat Sara Saliba (2-0) and Dzejla Makas (2-1) before losing 2-0 to Sofija Hinic in semis.
- Secured bronze via tournament format in women's -49kg category in Taranto, Italy.
- Recent achievements: 4th at European Championships, silver at Bosnia Open.
- Petanque's Jon Fortes competed but missed semis; pairs Sunday in doubles.
Naiara Liñán claimed Andorra's first medal at the Mediterranean Games with bronze in the women's -49kg taekwondo category in Taranto, Italy.
The athlete excelled at the Palazzetto Giovanni Paolo II on Saturday, beating Lebanon's Sara Saliba 2-0 in the first round and Bosnia's Dzejla Makas 2-1 in the quarter-finals. She lost 2-0 to Croatia's Sofija Hinic in the semi-finals, securing bronze through the competition's format alongside France's Sayine Krim, who fell in the opposite semi-final.
Liñán called the victory an unforgettable milestone, crediting her strong form this season after a fourth-place finish at the European Championships in Munich and silver at the Bosnia Open. She also carried Andorra's flag at the opening ceremony with petanque player Jon Fortes.
In a recent interview, Liñán reflected on facing a familiar opponent in her final bout and outlined her ambitions to rank among the world's top 15 taekwondo athletes and sustain that level through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Her coach, Diego Ortigoza, highlighted the institutional support bolstering her career.
Fortes took part in the petanque precision shooting qualifier that day, scoring 10 points initially and 23 in the second round, but he did not reach the semi-finals. He is set to pair with Bruno Samtmann in the doubles on Sunday.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- El Periòdic•
Naiara Liñán: «Puc aspirar a estar entre les 15 millors del rànquing mundial i mantenir-me fins als Jocs Olímpics»
- Diari d'Andorra•
Naiara Liñán es penja la medalla de bronze
- El Periòdic•
Naiara Liñán fa història amb el primer bronze d’Andorra als Jocs del Mediterrani, en -49 kg de taekwondo
- Altaveu•
Naiara Liñán fa història amb el primer bronze d'Andorra als Jocs del Mediterrani