Bouwmeester gold gains Dutch dinghy sailor Games record

Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands claimed the gold medal in the women's dinghy and the accolade of being the most successful female Olympic sailor ever on Wednesday.

Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom took silver after completing the medal race, with Norwegian Line Flem Hoest taking bronze.

"It's nice to finally finish it off, it hasn't sunk in yet," Bouwmeester said, adding it had been good to have her two-year-old daughter with her for the Games.

Bouwmeester previously won gold in 2016, silver in 2012 and bronze in Tokyo, meaning she has now overtaken Britain's Hannah Mills as the most successful women's Olympic sailor ever.

"I think sometimes at the Olympics you can get too serious too quickly, so it’s nice to have a distraction with Jessie Mae. Then you also have the lack of sleep and the loss of energy, but I'm grateful to be a mum and an athlete," she said.

While both of the top medals were effectively in the bag before the final double-points race of the series in Marseille, the bronze had not been decided.

Although Norway's Hoest came in second, it was enough to win bronze on overall points, the sailor crying with joy on the last leg as she approached the finish line to cheers from fans.

An elated Hoest pumped her fist before leaping into the water to celebrate with her training partner and friend Rindom.

The medal trio all then gathered on Bouwmeester's boat and leapt dramatically together into the sea, bobbing in their brightly coloured buoyancy aids.

"I have so much respect for Line and Anne-Marie, we push each other all the way," Bouwmeester said later.