Mediterranean Games: Greece’s women’s 4x100 relay wins silver after European setback

Greece turned a painful European Championship exit into a silver medal in Taranto, with the same final exchange that failed in Birmingham working perfectly this time.

The quartet of Sofia Iosifidou, Rafaela Spanoudaki, Dimitra Tsoukala and Polyniki Emmanouilidou finished the Mediterranean Games final in 43.61 seconds. Portugal edged them out for gold in 43.57, while Turkey took bronze in 44.05. France placed fourth in 44.69, and host Italy failed to complete its run.

Greece stayed in contention until the finish, where Emmanouilidou produced a strong final leg. The result carried added weight because Tsoukala and Emmanouilidou had been involved in the failed last exchange that eliminated Greece from the European Championship final in Birmingham.

In Taranto, the pair handled the same exchange without a problem, helping Greece reach the podium. Emmanouilidou also claimed her second silver medal of the Games, after finishing runner-up in the 100 meters in 11.41 seconds. A day later, she joined Iosifidou, Spanoudaki and Tsoukala for another medal for Greece.