President joins North Macedonia’s record delegation in Taranto for "Taranto 2026"
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova travelled to Taranto to support North Macedonia’s largest delegation at the Mediterranean Games, where 88 athletes will compete across 19 sports.
North Macedonia made its largest-ever presence at the Mediterranean Games as a 130-member delegation arrived in the Italian host city of Taranto, with 88 athletes entered across 19 of the 33 sports on the programme.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova joins team in Olympic village
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova travelled to Taranto and met the Macedonian competitors in the Games' Olympic Village, offering encouragement before the official start of the XX Mediterranean Games. She is scheduled to remain in the host city for two days and will attend the opening ceremony tonight at 20:00.
The presence of a head of state at the Mediterranean Games is unprecedented for North Macedonia and organisers and athletes described it as an important show of backing for the team. The delegation received logistical and preparatory support from the Macedonian Olympic Committee ahead of departure, and in Taranto athletes will also work with certified mental performance coach Sofia Arnaudova on concentration and competition pressure.
Competition at "Taranto 2026" runs through 3 September. North Macedonia’s programme already began: the women’s volleyball team lost its opening match to Turkey 3:0 yesterday, marking the nation’s first contest at the Games.
Across the coming days Macedonian athletes will compete in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, equestrian sports, fencing, rhythmic gymnastics, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon and wrestling – freestyle, as well as the women’s handball and volleyball teams, the men’s 3x3 basketball team and the men’s under-21 football team. The team will wear official JOMA kit on the fields of play.
Broadcast coverage of the opening ceremony begins at 20:00 on MRT 1, while select live events will be shown on MRT 3. The public can also follow daily results and behind-the-scenes material via the Macedonian Olympic Committee’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts and through the social channels of Stefan Lazarov.
Photo: press material from the event
