Marit Bouwmeester is already assured of gold, even though the medal race still has to be sailed. The Olympic sailors had to be patient on Monday 5 August, because at 12:00 the sailors in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and Nacra 17 classes were supposed to sail the fleet races, but due to a lack of wind these were (several times) stopped. Bouwmeester’s last race was even cancelled altogether, which means that she is now (almost) assured of the gold medal.
Too big a lead
Not at 12:00, but a scant two hours later Bouwmeester went out on the water for the first time. However, the race was stopped a few minutes later due to too little wind. At 15:00 the race was sailed and she finished nineteenth. Not enough for a gold medal, but she was already assured of silver.
In the meantime, after nine races, she had managed to build up such a big lead that just starting the medal race (on Tuesday 6 August) is enough for the Olympic title. The tenth race was cancelled due to too little wind and as a result Bouwmeester goes into the medal race with a lead of 21 points on her biggest competitor, the Danish Anne-Marie Rindom. That can no longer be made up, so she is already assured of gold. The only thing she has to do now is show up for the medal race.
Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch
Best Olympic sailor ever
Afterwards, Bouwmeester told the international media that this is what she wanted; to dominate the world. “It feels incredible, because when I was young they once said: ‘You are not good enough’ and then I thought: ‘I am going to be the best of all time’. I have always pursued that dream, and from the age of 16 I have really made it my mission.” This is Bouwmeester’s fourth Olympic Games. In Rio de Janeiro (2016) she won gold, in London (2012) silver and in Tokyo (2021) bronze. With the gold medal in Paris, which is actually unmissable, Bouwmeester is the most successful Olympic sailor in history.
See also: Marit Bouwmeester to start in fourth Olympic Games
Gold for Duetz and Van Aanholt after thrilling final phase
Cover photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch
Tags: Marit Bouwmeester, Olympic Games Last modified: August 6, 2024
