Ktena won two medals at the inaugural Mediterranean Beach Games in Pescara in Italy four years ago and she was quickest this afternoon at the main Artemis complex in the Greek city.

Ktena took gold in 16.780sec as Croatian Dora Bassi finished second in 17.150.

Maelle Lecouer took bronze in 17.280.

There was more glory for Greece as Anastasios Mylonakis led a one-two in the men's 100m surface finswimming final.

He won in 35.400 as compatriot Ioannis Pipinias took silver in 36.150.

The bronze medal went to Tuğcan Kaytar of Turkey in 36.220.

The women's 50m bi-fins final was won by Italian Viola Magoga in 22.340 as she edged out Spain's Silvia Barnes Corominas to gold.

Barnes Corominas clocked 22.720 to claim silver with Elisa Mammi of Italy third in 23.100.

On the opening day of the beach handball competition, Portugal's men's team sealed back to back wins in Pool A.

They won 2-0 against Albania at Artemis complex and followed up with a 2-1 triumph against Egypt.

Egypt had earlier defeated Croatia 1-0, while Cyprus opened their account with a 2-0 win against Albania.

In Pool B, hosts Greece won 2-0 against Tunisia and Morocco edged Malta by the same scoreline.

Nicolas Gianotti and Mathieu Guegano  of France reached the semi-finals of the men's beach tennis tournament with a 2-0 victory against Greek duo Ioannis Dimopoulos and Georgios Martinis.

Compatriots Theo Irigaray and John Wolff succumbed 1-0 against Spanish pair Antonio Miguel Ramos Viera and Gerard Rodriguez Querol.

Mattia Spoto and Diego Bollettinari ensured Italy had at least one pair in the last four by defeating Portuguese rivals Pedro De Meneses Maio and Henrique José Serrano Da Costa Freitas 2-0.

Tommaso Giovanni and Dennis Valmori face San Marino's Nicolò Bombini and Alvise Galli in the last of the quarter-finals later today.