Seaton and McGovern slip back to 10th after final race

Ireland’s Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern finished their second Olympic appearance in 10th place overall yesterday as the medal race final was sailed in brisk conditions at the Rio Games.

Although in eighth place overall going into the final, the best result they could have hoped for was a fifth overall.

Two last places in Tuesday’s penultimate day of racing cost them a chance at the podium while their inclusion in the final was due to their win in the 12th and final race of the qualification series.

The Belfast duo in the end placed ninth in the race which dropped them to tenth overall, a result that belied their performance both in the final and the series leading up to it.

Although the potency of the New Zealand favourites Peter Burling and Blair Tuke was never in doubt, the Irish crew won two of their races at the Olympic Games, exposing a potentially weak flank in the kiwis but one that no other crew could exploit either.

The New Zealanders had the event sewn up even before the final and sailed across the finishing line to add Rio gold to their silver from London 2012 plus four successive world titles since then.

Gold medallists from four years ago and Seaton and McGoverns’ training partners, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, did well to rescue silver in the final race.

The Australian crew powered from the back of the fleet, past the Irish pair in the second lap and caught up to finish fourth and secure the silver medal.