Gold on the water

Day 12 was another golden day for NSWIS sailors, with Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen winning gold in the men’s 49er class.

The gold medal was all but assured for the NSWIS duo after they built a 28 point lead over their competitors heading into the medal race. With just 10 crews competing in the final race, Outteridge and Jensen only had to finish the race, which they did in fourth place, to secure their maiden Olympic gold medal.

Like fellow NSWIS athlete and gold medallist Tom Slingsby in the men’s laser, Outteridge and Jensen have dominated in the 49er class over recent years, winning several world championships and world cup events, including the official test event prior to the Games. 

The medal takes the NSWIS medal tally to two gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

There was more good news coming from Weymouth on day 12, with NSWIS athletes Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty all progressing through to the semi-finals of the women’s match racing. The trio went into the second day of the quarter-final drawn at 1-1 with the Netherlands, but quickly won the next two races to assure progression into the final four.

Elsewhere in day 12, NSWIS diver Melissa Wu started her campaign strongly by placing fifth in the preliminary round of the women’s 10m platform. Wu scored 337.90 points to cruise through the early stages, with the semi-final and final taking place on Friday morning, Sydney time.

NSWIS athlete Safwan Khalil made his Olympic debut on day 12, competing in the men’s -58kg taekwondo class. After a strong 9-4 opening win, Khalil fell in the quarter-final 3-5 to the eventual champion from Spain.

Meanwhile, the jumping discipline of the equestrian competition came to a close, with NSWIS athletes Edwina Tops-Alexander finishing 20th, and Julia Hargreaves 35th, while the Australian men’s basketball and water polo teams saw their campaigns end with losses to the USA and Serbia, respectively.

Six NSWIS athletes have a chance at medals on day 13 of competition. Wu competes in the women’s 10m platform semi-final, looking to make the final; Murray Stewart lines up in the men’s K4 1000m canoe sprint final, sailor Malcolm Page goes for gold in the men’s 470, and water polo players Alicia McCormack, Holly Lincoln-Smith and Nicola Zagame take on Hungary for bronze.