By Alexander Smith
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) – Britain’s bronze medal-winning Olympic windsurfer Emma Wilson called for organisers to consider the mental health of sailors when deciding how the racing should be run, saying on Saturday that while she loved the sport she hated the format.
Wilson, who was dominant in almost all the women’s 14 races and qualified directly for the three-way medal race, lost the quick-fire final to her Italian childhood windsurfing friend Marta Maggetti, with Israel’s Sharon Kantor clinching silver.
“I think the athletes we should be able to have a vote, or have some way of expressing how we feel about the format,” an emotional Wilson said during a post-medal ceremony press conference, as she fought back tears.
“There’s going to be other people in this situation. For me I’ve been in it a lot. Maybe people will look at people’s mental health after this. It’s hard to keep coming back and I’m not sure if I will come back mentally,” Wilson said.
“I love the sport, but I hate the format,” said Wilson, who also won bronze in Tokyo.
“I don’t want to say any more, just well done to Marta and Sharon, they’re great athletes and they deserve the medals they got. But maybe World Sailing can have a think,” she said.
Earlier, on the beach where they had landed to cheers after the race, Wilson and Maggetti told Reuters they were going to end an emotional day together at a bar.
“This format is unfair I think, because Emma was leading all the week, in all the races. For me, Emma is my idol,” Maggetti said as the two friends smiled together.
“If anyone was to win, I give it to Marta,” Wilson said.
(Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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