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Gold for Israel's Reuveny and Italy's Maggetti in frantic windsurfing finals

03 August 2024 13:22| © Reuters
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Marta Maggetti © Gallo Images

Israel's Tom Reuveny claimed Olympic gold in the men's windsurfing final on Saturday, after Italy's Marta Maggetti won the women's event with a smart strategic split.

Australia's Grae Morris secured men's silver and Luuc van Opzeeland of the Netherlands landed bronze in the medal final.

Reuveny, whose teammate Sharon Kantor clinched silver in the women's final, performed an acrobatic leap on his iQFOiL board after crossing the line off Marseille.

The men had been recalled after a false start to the race, having to regroup for a restart amid white-crested waves and a bigger breeze than there had been for the rest of the event.

Earlier, Maggetti, 28, pumped her fist as she crossed the line and then leapt into the Mediterranean.

The Italian's breakaway from her rivals in the third leg proved decisive, giving her the lead from Britain's Emma Wilson, who had dominated the early stages of the race, during which their foiling boards flew over the sea at more than 20 knots.

Israel's Kantor, 21, who had been in second place for most of the chase between the three women's windsurfers, embraced Reuveny when he and the other men returned to shore.

Maggetti swam over to her rivals to hug them in the water as the result began to register. She was greeted back on the beach with an Italian flag and ran over to embrace friends and family.

For Wilson, who had dominated the fleet during the qualifying stages but crossed the line some way behind her rivals to land bronze, there were tears.

The Briton, 25 also finished third in Tokyo.

Her tears were interspersed with occasional smiles, when she was hugged by family and friends back on the Marseille beach.

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