Slingsby Wins Men's Laser Gold

staff
August 06, 2012 11:49 AM

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Australia's Tom Slingsby competes in the medal race of the Laser sailing class at the London 2012 Olympic Games REUTERS/BENOIT TESSIER

Four times world champion Tom Slingsby won Olympic sailing men's Laser gold on Monday, banishing the demons of his failure in Beijing in 2008 and succeeding after 12 years of preparation.

The Australian raced calmly to victory in the medal race on the Nothe course, comfortably leaving his nearest rival Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus well behind.

Kontides took silver and the honour of winning his country's first ever medal at the Olympics after 25 years as an independent sporting nation.

Rasmus Myrgren fought off the Croation challenge of Tonci Stipanovic to win bronze and a second sailing medal for Sweden following their gold in the Star class on Sunday.

There were emotional scenes as Slingsby's parents from Australia celebrated their son's win watching from the heights of the Nothe hill overlooking the course.

Reuters