Southampton alumnus, Giles Scott will sail to gold in Rio today (16 August).
The 29-year-old from Huntingdon goes into the final Medal Race of his Olympics knowing that he simply has to complete the race to top the podium.
Four-time World Champion Scott effectively wrapped up his first Olympic title on Sunday by putting a 24-point gap between himself and Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) in silver medal position.
It is a defining moment for the man whose talents were honed on Grafham Water. He will inherit the Finn title held by the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie, while also ensuring that the men’s heavyweight dinghy crown remains in British hands for a fifth successive Games.
Matt Howard, Scott’s coach, insists it is no more than he deserves.
He said:
“It’s been three and a half years since we put together this project for the Olympics so there is a bit of relief. There’s been quite a lot of pressure on us to perform and to keep his game going, so it is just unbelievable elation.
“I had to have a word with myself on the water because he hadn’t actually finished the race and I was starting to well up and I know for a fact that he had to have a word with himself as well because he was doing the same thing! I am just over the moon with it all and it’s been a great ride.”