Spain’s Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez won the Olympic Games 49er yachting gold medal yesterday with the silver going to Ukraine and the bronze to Britain.
Rodion Luka and George Leonchuk clinched the silver for Ukraine while Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks celebrated a bronze for Britain. The Star class was also settled yesterday despite another day’s sailing left in the category with Brazil’s Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira building up enough of an advantage to guarantee gold.
French pair Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau took silver thanks to finishing the day’s two races in third and first place.
The win is Grael’s fifth Olympic medal to add to his Star class gold in Atlanta in 1996, bronze in Sydney in 2000 and Seoul in 1988 as well as the soling silver in Los Angeles in 1984.
It was Ferreira’s third medal having sailed with Grael in 1996 and 2000.
“It was quite a difficult day, as it was probably the most important race ever for us,” said Martinez as he reflected on his 49er win.
