Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Ineos Team UK in Old Portsmouth sees its member Giles Scott take gold in sailing event

TEAM GB has secured another gold thanks to sailor Giles Scott, who is part of Sir Ben Ainslie’s Ineos Team UK based in Old Portsmouth.
By Richard Lemmer
Published 3rd Aug 2021, 18:51 BST
Updated 3rd Aug 2021, 19:02 BST
Giles Scott of Team Great Britain celebrates on the podium for the Men's Finn class on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty ImagesGiles Scott of Team Great Britain celebrates on the podium for the Men's Finn class on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
Giles Scott of Team Great Britain celebrates on the podium for the Men's Finn class on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

The 34-year-old won gold in the men’s heavyweight one-person dinghy in the Finn class, Britain’s sixth successive title in the event.

Giles lived in Portsmouth for five years until last September, and he remains an important part of Ineos Team UK, set to perform as a tactician in the upcoming America’s Cup sailing race.

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Speaking to press after the event, the sailor said: ‘I made it by the skin of my teeth, it was properly to the wire, it was really tight. I tried to stay relaxed but I’ve never been involved in a boat race as close as that.’

Great Britian's Giles Scott celebrates after winning the Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) Finn Medal Race at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Kaoru Soehata/PA Wire.Great Britian's Giles Scott celebrates after winning the Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) Finn Medal Race at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Kaoru Soehata/PA Wire.
Great Britian's Giles Scott celebrates after winning the Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) Finn Medal Race at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Photo: Kaoru Soehata/PA Wire.

Ineos Team UK came together to watch Giles sail to a victory that means ‘a massive’ amount to his sailing team mates, according to a spokesman from team.

He added: ‘We all watched it together and it was amazing.

‘It’s massive for the team that Giles has cemented he’s at the top of his game, and bringing that skill to the team – we’re lucky to have him.’

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The former Portsmouth resident lost out on a London 2012 Olympics spot to Ineos Team leader Sir Ben Ainslie, but Giles dominated the Finn class in the build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympics, where he won gold.

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This year’s games in Tokyo have seen a wealth of talent from Portsmouth and the surrounding area take part, including bronze medal winning BMX freestyle rider Declan Brooks, Fareham rowing ace Rebecca Muzerie, Hayling Island sailor Eilidh McIntyre, and hockey women’s keeper Maddie Hinch, originally from Hill Head.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Team GB athletes for ‘putting a smile on the faces of millions of people across the country’ in a video message posted on Twitter.

He told them in a 40-second clip: ‘You are putting a smile on the faces of millions of people across this country with quite sensational performances in the pool, in the gymnastics, in the eventing, BMX, heaven knows what.

‘You are producing medal-winning performance after medal-winning performance and I just want to say congratulations, keep going, we’re all rooting for you.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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Related topics:Old PortsmouthBoris JohnsonBritainIneos