More medals in sailing for Aussies as Belcher and Ryan grab silver

AUSSIE star Mat Belcher admits his new silver medal - and not a gold one - could drive him towards sailing again in Tokyo 2020.

MAT Belcher admits his new silver medal - and not a gold one - could drive him towards sailing again in Tokyo 2020.

The gold medal favourites in the men’s 470 class, Belcher and crew mate Will Ryan jumped from the bronze medal position ahead of the final race in Rio to collect the runners-up medal.

In a drama-charged race, played out in almost perfect 12-18 knot winds, Ryan needed to be pulled back into his boat by crew mate Belcher, to avoid falling into the dirty waters of Guanara Bay.

Mat Belcher and Will Ryan are thinking of backing up in Tokyo.

Unable to reel in Croatia’s unassailable lead on points - which secured their first sailing gold medal - Belcher and Ryan saw their result as a win, but conceded there was a small element of disappointment with not being able to secure the major prize.

Belcher, 33, said the lure of a second gold medal after winning in London could draw him back to the water in four years time.

“We need some time to rest,’’ Belcher said.

“We haven’t decided about Tokyo or not yet.

“With those past four years in reflection it has been the highlight of any campaign I have done.

“I have as amazing partnership with Will and the fact that we have won three world championships together and three Eurpoean championships together, we podiumed in almost every single event ...to do it with this guy was special.

“We wanted to win (gold).

“It is hard to be in this position because we’e proud to have the silver, but Will and I competitive, so I dont know what that means I keep going or not.’’

It was a double-dose of silver for the Australian sailing team with London champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen also claiming a podium finish in the 49ers.

The Aussies had to be content with silver.

Having won gold prior to the medal race in London, the pair sat third coming into their final tilt and could’ve easily missed a medal all together.

“To get a silver medal today was a very different feeling to London where it was just a victory lap,’’ Outteridge said.

“We actually had to work today and to earn it and that was a good feeling to wake up this morning knowing that you actually had to sail your best to win that medal.

“And we did that.’’

The sailing team’s four medals in Rio equals their tally of London four years ago.

Originally published as More medals in sailing for Aussies as Belcher and Ryan grab silver