Scots sailor leads GB's medal charge

Reporter

Saturday 11 August 2012

SCOTTISH sailor Luke Patience and his partner Stuart Bithell led the medal charge for Team GB yesterday, winning silver on a day when Britain scored more Olympic success, with athletes and boxers all adding to its tally.

SUCCESS: Luke Patience, right, and Stuart Bithell won silver in the men's sailing 470 class

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Jody Harrison

The women's hockey team, including Scots Emily Maguire and Laura Bartlett, made history by beating New Zealand to claim bronze, the first medal in the sport since 1992. There was also a silver medal for sailors Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark in the last race of the double-hander 470 class at Weymouth.

Boxer Luke Campbell, 24, from Hull, is also guaranteed at least silver after he battled into the final today against family friend John Joe Nevin, of Ireland, as he bids to fulfil his lifelong ambition of winning an Olympic gold.Anthony Ogogo, from Suffolk, was floored twice while losing in his semi-final, but can console himself with a bronze medal.Fred Evans and Anthony Joshua were also fighting in the ring for the chance of a gold medal today – with at least a bronze already secured.But there was disappointment on the BMX track where gold medal hopeful Shanaze Reade came sixth in her race, while Liam Phillips crashed out at the Velopark in Stratford, east London. On the track, Britain's men's 4x100 relay team also came up short and were disqualified after they fumbled a baton exchange, repeating a mistake that cost them a place in the final in Beijing four years ago.The Duchess of Cambridge, captain of her school hockey team, was an expert cheerleader for the British women's hockey team as they claimed a bronze medal. Kate sat with gold medal winners Dame Kelly Holmes and Katherine Grainger as she cheered the Team GB women to victory in their bronze medal play-off.After the match Kate, who was wearing a white Team GB T-shirt, hugged team captain Kate Walsh and praised the players.Victorious Walsh, who fractured her jaw after being hit by a stick during a game last week, said: "She said congratulations and we all looked like we'd worked so hard, she gave me a little hug and just said I was really brave."She's played. She played a lot at school, so she knows the game, although the game's moved on a little bit from when she played."Scottish Sports Minister Shona Robison said: "It is great news that Emily Maguire and Laura Bartlett have played their part in helping Team GB to a bronze medal in hockey. "This is a great achievement and I'd like to congratulate Emily and Laura on their success which takes us to a fantastic haul of 14 medals won by Scottish athletes so far in London 2012."Prime Minister David Cameron, his wife Samantha, Chancellor George Osborne and David Beckham were among the 6000 crowd willing BMX rider Reade to victory, but the 23-year-old from Crewe started poorly and could not recover.She said: "I'm pretty emotionless. I'm sure it will sink in, but the Olympic Games is the biggest platform you can race at and you've just got to give it your best."I just tried to stay focused and do my absolute best and today it just wasn't good enough."After winning at the ExCel, boxer Luke Campbell said: "It's all about the gold medal for me now, but I'm proud of what I've done so far and I'm happy to make my family proud and my little lad, and my home town of Hull. The support I have received from home and in the arena has been amazing."Despite missing out on gold, sailors Patience and Bithell were confident they would be back for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. There was no regret from the Britons after crossing the finish line at Weymouth behind Australia.However, sailors Mills and Clark were upset to miss out on winning another British gold. The duo, together for just 18 months, were beaten in the final by New Zealand.Clark said: "I'm gutted at the moment. We didn't even put a good show on really."An emotional Mills said: "I'm pretty gutted to be honest. But we've had a wicked 18 months together and Sas is amazing. We've had a great time."Clark's boyfriend is Beijing Olympic gold medallist sailor Paul Goodison. They now have another medal to add to their collection.

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Scots sailor leads GB's medal charge

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