OLYMPIC medallist Bryony Shaw expressed her delight for Dorset’s Emma Wilson, labelling her bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 as “well deserved”.
Wilson, 22, emulated fellow windsurfer Shaw’s bronze medal from Beijing 2008 with a stunning performance in her debut Games in Japan.
The symmetry between Shaw and Wilson continues as both athletes were competing in their debut Games and were the youngest Team GB member of the sailing squad when they medalled.
In Enoshima, the Christchurch star went into the women’s RS:X medal race assured of bronze at least.
Wilson then stormed to second place, although her result was bettered by defending champion Charline Picon of France, who flew into silver following victory in the final race.
China’s Lu Yunxiu claimed gold in the final edition of Olympic racing in the RS:X before it is cut from the Paris 2024 list.
READ MORE: Dorset windsurfer Emma Wilson claims Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020
Shaw watched Wilson’s bid for gold with a big crowd at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy.
Speaking to Echosport, three-time Olympian Shaw said: “You could see the reaction of the girls out there, they were diving into the water and celebrating with each other.
“It definitely brings back fond memories for me from Beijing. It was my first Olympics and I was the youngest in the team.
“I’m sure she’s celebrating, it’s well deserved.
“We were all chit-chatting through the race and encouraging her. A really nice crowd has shown up at the Sailing Academy and everyone was cheering her on.
“(Wilson) decided to go down the left-hand side on the second beat and it paid off. A huge comeback from eighth to second in one leg.
“We were amazed, we were like: ‘Wow, she’s back in this.’
“It really ignited the race for the crowd and the cheering just got louder and louder.
“There were some mistakes from some of the other girls as well, which let the Chinese girl (Lu) through.
“Emma was really looking good for a while, but (Lu) came back as well. It looked like a very tough, physical race.”
Shaw explained how much Wilson’s result means to the windsurfing community.
“We’re all family,” she said.
“We all travel around the world together so it’s family, and once you’re part of Team GB you really do feel like you’re representing your country.”
Wilson’s British Sailing Team colleague Alysia Gibson trained alongside the Olympic medallist in Weymouth in the run up to the Games.
She said: “I’m so proud of her but I didn’t expect anything less, to be honest.
“She’s just so dedicated and she works so hard. In that medal race she pumped so much and it paid off.”
Asked how tough it is for windsurfers to gain speed in light winds, Gibson added: “It’s awful, it’s so tiring on your forearms.
“But then you’ve got to get straight back into it for the downwind – it’s just non-stop pain.
“For the past year I’ve been her training partner and she just works the hardest of everyone in the fleet, she’s so committed, she just loves it – she’s so happy.
“It was really nice watching it together with everyone there because it was quite emotional. We’ve known her for years.
“At the start of the race it wasn’t looking too great but when she pulled it back it was awesome to watch her, amazing.”
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