Netherlands, France split RS:X golds in sailing competition of Olympic Games
Xinhua, August 15, 2016 Adjust font size:
Dorian Van Rijsselberghe from the Netherlands and Charline Picon from France split the men's and women's RS:X golds in the sailing competition of the 2016 Olympic Games here on Sunday.
Thus Van Rijsselberghe who defended his title in the class, said after winning the gold: "I'm very happy. We had a wonderful week sailing and today it was only a kind of show, but I'm glad that I pulled off another first place and win. I'm very fortunate."
"I think everybody is very happy for me. It's a huge thing of course after all of the support they put in and they see that it has played out," he said about the meaning of the win.
Britain's Nick Dempsey took the silver medal like what he did four years ago in London.
Dempsey was not disappointed about the result. "No, never a disappointment. You know I've trained hard over the last four years and I've given it everything I had. I couldn't ask anything more of myself. I was only good enough for second here and I'm very happy."
It was Dempsey's fifth Olympic Games. He has been considering retiring.
"I will sit down when I have a quiet space on my own, but I think it will be. I would like to do some photography stuff, some coaching, work within the team. I am just going to take some time."
Pierre Le Coq from France took the bronze, the second medal for France in this event following silver by Julien Bontemps in 2008.
"It's crazy because this week it was very difficult for me. I had some ups and downs all along the week, and mentally, physically it was really hard. I knew it was the Olympic Games, my first Olympic Games and I knew it would be difficult. It was a great experience, I'm very happy to finish with a medal. It's a life achievement. I was dreaming about this since a long time ago and I just want to enjoy it and celebrate it with my family and friends," said he.
Charline Picon from France won the gold in the women's RS:X.
On the hard fought medal race, Picon said: "It was such a hard race, the hardest of my life because the Chinese (Chen Peina) was so close to me and I had to fight until the line."
China's Chen Peina was only two points behind Picon to settle for a silver medal.
Chen was not disappointed about a silver medal. She said: "Before the competition started I think everyone had a chance to win, including me, so I am very happy to have got a medal."
This was Chen's first Olympic Games, and she was really happy for what she had achieved.
"I have worked very hard for this so I am delighted with the result of all the effort I've put in."
Stefaniya Elfutina from Russia took the bronze medal, which was Russia's second Olympic medal in a sailing event after it took silver in the soling in 1996. Endit