Saturday, July 31, 2021

Medal Alert: Wilson sails her way to windsurfing bronze

Emma Wilson claimed Team GB's first sailing medal of Tokyo 2020 with a brilliant windsurfing bronze at Enoshima Bay.


Wilson's mother Penny Way competed in two Olympics, finishing sixth and seventh at the 1992 and 1996 Games in Barcelona and Atlanta.


Those achievements led to her local council

renaming the road to Christchurch Windsurfing Club in her honour - what will they now do for Wilson, who learned to surf there as a youngster?


Wilson had just missed out on the medals at recent World and European Championships and also finished fourth at the Olympic test regatta two years ago.


But she came into the double points medal race guaranteed an RS:X podium spot, with gold going to Yunxiu Lu of China while France's Charline Picon picked up silver.


Wilson's bronze is Team GB's first women's windsurfing medal since Bryony Shaw claimed bronze in Beijing 13 years ago.


Wilson, 22, from Christchurch, Dorset, said: "Those conditions were so physical, I gave it everything and I'm super happy to get that medal. I just emptied my body out there, it's amazing.


“I've come fourth so many times it means so much to finally get on the podium and to do it at the Olympics is great.


“My mum has been a big influence but there are so many other people too, my coaches and my training partners. This medal is not just for me but for everyone else.


“Of course you want to win a gold medal but I've many more years to come and I hope to be back. I just want to enjoy this moment, not many people get a medal at the Olympics and I need to be so grateful.


“I'm so sick of coming fourth, it doesn't get much worse than that. I didn't feel too much pressure and I just tried to keep smiling.


“I didn't believe I'd be the first to get a medal but it's cool and hopefully other people will get one too.”

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