Stoddart lasers in on a Rio Olympic medal on the water

MURRUMBA Downs sailor Ashley Stoddart will race for an Olympic medal in the early hours of Tuesday morning after placing in the top-10 of the preliminary races.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — AUGUST 08: Ashley Stoddart of Australia competes during the Women's Laser Radial races on Day 3 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Marina da Gloria on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

ASHLEY Stoddart, the Murrumba Downs sailor, will race for an Olympic medal in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Stoddart, a member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) at Manly, finished seventh and then eighth in the final preliminary races early today.

Those great results pulled her up from 13th to ninth overall in the laser radial fleet — only the top 10 will race for the medals on Tuesday.

The RQYS was quick to recognise Stoddart’s feat.

On Facebook it posted: “Our girl is in! Grit, focus and unwavering determination has secured Ashley Stoddart a spot in the laser radial medal race. We couldn’t be prouder”.