Mat Belcher and Will Ryan are on the cusp of sailing gold after building an unassailable lead in the men’s 470 class in Tokyo.
Following in the wake of Matt Wearn, who did the same in the Laser class, the duo only have to finish or avoid disqualification in Wednesday’s medal race to collect Australia’s second sailing gold.
It’s Belcher’s second gold medal after winning the event in London with Malcolm Page, while he and Ryan won silver in Rio.
The Australians held a 19-point buffer atop the 470 leaderboard heading into race nine, and a second place off Enoshima Harbour pushed it out to 22.
In a nerve-wracking 10th race the Swedish team of Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergstrom took out the race, with Belcher and Ryan crossing in eighth spot to build a 20-point lead.
That means they can’t be overtaken despite double points being on offer in the medal race.
The Swedes are in the silver medal position while Spanish duo Jordi Xammer and Nicolas Rodriguez Garcia-Paz sit third.
Another medal will secure 38-year-old Belcher’s status as his country’s must successful Olympic sailor.
Sadly for the pair, the men’s 470 event has been cut from the Paris 2024 Olympic program as part of the International Olympic Committee’s push for gender equality.
AAP
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