Nick Thompson admitted his Sailing World Championships laser bronze medal was bittersweet after climbing the podium in Santander.
With two silvers and a bronze medal from his previous World Championship outings, Thompson headed into the ten-boat laser medal race hoping to finally get his hands on that elusive gold.
The 28-year-old went into the showpiece on a level-pegging with Australian series leader Tom Burton, but it was Dutch sailor Nicolas Heiner who claimed victory and with it the gold medal.
That left Burton and Thompson to battle it out with the Australian claiming silver meaning the Briton was left with bronze – which also secured Team GB a quota place for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“If I am honest I am a little bit disappointed,” said Thompson of his World Championship bronze, which he adds to bronze from the 2009 event, and two silvers from 2010 and 2011.
“It was my chance to try and go one better than I have done previously but obviously it is good to get a medal and to have done so in the three major events this year. But at the moment it is mixed feelings for sure.
“It has been a tricky event. I think it has been one of the most challenging events I have done in a while, pretty similar to Rio in that respect as we have seen a bit of everything. It has been a real mixed bag and I guess it is good to have come away with a medal in those varied conditions.
‘’I have shown that I don’t have many weaknesses now which is rewarding. I will now try and work on a few of the smaller areas and try and do better next year.”
And there was more to celebrate in Spain as Alison Young finished ninth overall in the laser radial event after a seventh-placed finish in her medal race, securing another quote place for the Rio 2016 Olympics for Team GB.
© Sportsbeat 2014