Defending Olympic champions and best friends Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson took a silver medal in yesterday's Star class sailing competition. race with an eight-point lead over their main Brazilian rivals, they were eventually beaten by Sweden's Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen.
The two economics graduates, both 35, teamed-up in 2007 and won gold in the 2008 Olympics.
had hoped to challenge for the next America's Cup but focused on the London Games after Team Origin's owner, Sir Keith Mills, withdrew from the ocean yacht race in October 2010."We just got it wrong and it is pretty gutting for sure. It is our fault and we will take it on the chin," said Percy yesterday.
For Southampton-born Percy, was a second gold medal to add to the one he brought back from Sydney in 2000, only two years after turning professional.
Percy's sister Katrina, who also sails, said: "When they reflect on it and realise they've won silver to go alongside gold, they're going to be pretty proud.""We didn't get it right. Fair play to the Swedes, they had a great regatta and did a great job.
So did the Brazilians (who won bronze)," said Simpson.
The other story at Wimbledon yesterday was Laura Robson, who won a silver medal last night with her mixed-doubles partner, Andy Murray. Murray and 18-year-old Robson lost the final to Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi of Belarus in front of a packed Centre Court despite raising home hopes by winning the first set. "I'd like to thank Andy for playing with me. It's been one of the best weeks of my life, for sure," said Robson. The child prodigy won the Wimbledon Girls' Singles title, aged 14, in 2008 – her first appearance at the championships. She entered a junior tennis academy when she was seven, signed with management company, Octagon, at 10, and a year later had a sponsorship deal with Adidas.
