Ben Ainslie Wins Gold Medal Making Him The Greatest Sailor Of All Time

Ben Ainslie: The Greatest Sailor Of All Time - But Don't Expect To See Him In Rio
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History was made in dramatic style on Sunday as Ben Ainslie won his fourth consecutive gold medal, making him the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time.

Huge crowds came to watch the talented 35-year-old as he battled the choppy seas in his Finn dinghy named "Rita".

Ainslie has beaten the current record held by great Dane Paul Elvstrom who won four golds between 1948 and 1960.

Together with the silver medal he won in 1996, Ainslie now has an incredible five Olympic medals in five consecutive Games.

Danish Sailor Jonas Hogh-Christensen gave the Brit a run for his money but Ainslie managed to finish in the top spot.

Speaking after the race he described himself as "speechless" and made a special mention to Hogh-Christensen's performance.

However, when asked if he'd be sailing again in the 2016 Olympic Games, he replied "never say never, but I'd be surprised if you see me in Rio".

Earlier in the day British hearts were broken on the water as Sweden denied Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson gold in the Star class.

The defending Olympic champions sailed exceptionally throughout the week and came into the medal race with an eight-point lead over Brazil's Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada.

However, it was Sweden, not Brazil, that proved Percy and Simpson's undoing as the Brits lost their crown to Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen.

The British pair came into the medal race with a comfortable lead, knowing fourth place or better would guarantee them gold.

They also needed to finish sixth or higher should third-place Sweden win the medal race, which, unfortunately for Percy and Simpson, they did.

Britain entered the final leg of the race in sixth but slipped away in the last 100 metres to finish eighth, handing Loof and Salminen gold on the Nothe Course.

Percy and Simpson had begun the race strongly and rounded the first mark in fifth, with main pre-race rivals Scheidt and Prada eighth.

The Brazilian pair moved up to fifth at the second mark, but Percy and Simpson remained in front and crossed the mark four seconds ahead.

The Brits were having to hold their nerve to keep Scheidt and Prada at bay, but opened up a three-place gap with a marvellous turn at the third mark. Sweden rounded the fourth mark in the lead and Great Britain in fifth, while Scheidt and Prada were ninth of the 10-boat fleet.

Percy and Simpson's attention soon turned to Sweden instead, who threatened their gold medal position.

The Brits needed to finish sixth or higher if Loof and Salminen won the medal race, but suffered on the final downwind as they went from as high as fourth to finish eighth overall to mean ended up with silver.

Team GB's Ben Ainslie
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Britain's Ben Ainslie celebrates as he wins the Finn class sailing competition in Weymouth on August 5, 2012. (Photo credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain celebrates overall victory after competing in the Men's Star Sailing Medal Race on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 5, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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Ben Ainslie of Britain celebrates after victory in the men's Finn sailing class race at the London 2012 Olympic Games, in Weymouth on August 5, 2012. (Photo credit: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie lights flares as he celebrates winning the Gold Medal after the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain celebrates overall victory after competing in the Men's Finn Sailing Medal Race on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 5, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie celebrates winning the Gold Medal after the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie and Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen (in background) battle for position in the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie during the Men's Finn Medal Race with Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen (left) close behind in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie and Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen (right) battle for position in the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain competes in the Men's Finn Sailing on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 3, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Richard Langdon/Getty Images)
Olympics Day 9
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Ben Ainslie of Great Britain celebrates overall victory after competing in the Men's Star Sailing Medal Race on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Weymouth & Portland Venue at Weymouth Harbour on August 5, 2012 in Weymouth, England. (Photo by Getty Images)
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Great Britain's Ben Ainslie lights flares as he celebrates winning the Gold Medal after the Men's Finn Medal Race in Weymouth. (Photo credit: PA)
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French centre Isabelle Yacoubou (R) and French guard Florence Lepron vie with opponents during the women's preliminary round group B basketball match France vs Russia of the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 5, 2012 at the basketball arena in London. France won 65 to 54. (Photo credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/GettyImages)
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South Korea's Lee Yong Dae and Chung Jae Sung (foreground) celebrate their victory over Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia during the bronze medal men's doubles badminton match at the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on August 5, 2012. South Korean won the match 23-12, 21-10. (Photo credit: ADEK BERRY/AFP/GettyImages)
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German's Florian Schmidt competes in the men's 50m pistol qualification at the London 2012 Olympic Games at The Royal Artillery Barracks in London on August 5, 2012. (Photo credit: MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/GettyImages)
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