BBC commentator says ‘it’s heartbreaking to watch’ as Brit cruelly denied Olympics 2024 medal after race abandoned
TEAM GB sailor Micky Beckett saw a potential Olympic silver medal disappear after his race was cruelly ABANDONED near the finish.
Welshman Beckett went into the dinghy double points medal race in fourth place… knowing a good finish could see him jump into second.
GettySailor Micky Beckett saw his Olympic medal chances disappear[/caption]
Beckett needed to finish four places ahead of Peru’s Stefano Peschiera for bronze, with second-placed Pavlos Kontides of Cyrpus also in his sights.
And a medal looked to be a certainty as he was challenging for the lead at the third of four “mark” buoys with Peschiera well adrift.
While Kontides was scrapped it out at the back of the field, locked in a personal battle with gold-medal favourite Matt Wearn, of Australia.
However, there was heartbreak for Beckett as, with just minutes left in the race, the judges abandoned the heat, citing the shifting winds.
BBC commentator Niall Myant was stunned, saying: “I do not believe it! Micky Beckett was doing everything he needed to do.
“He was doing it all and the silver medal was there for him.
“Incredible and now the race is abandoned due to light winds.
“What have we seen here at this Olympic Games?”
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BBC’s Olympics line-up in full
Presenters:
Clare Balding
Gabby Logan
Hazel Irvine
Isa Guha
Jeanette Kwakye
JJ Chalmers
Mark Chapman
Studio guests:
Beth Tweddle
Chris Hoy
Denise Lewis
Fred Sirieix
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Kate Richardson-Walsh
Katherine Grainger
Laura Kenny
Mark Foster
Michael Johnson
Nicola Adams
Rebecca Adlington
Tonia Couch
Radio:
Adrian Chiles
Eleanor Oldroyd
Kelly Cates
Mark Chapman
Naga Munchetty
Tony Livesey
Myant was later left saying “this is heartbreaking to watch” as the restarted race went all wrong for Beckett.
When they returned to a new start line, on a different course off Marseille harbour, just under an hour later, Beckett had a nightmare race.
He was forced to make THREE penalty 360 degree turns, almost impossible to recover from in dinghy racing.
The first was right at the beginning of the race, with Beckett penalised for “rocking” – moving the boat too much from side to side to build up speed.
By the first mark, Beckett was up to sixth, two places ahead of the Peruvian in the race but a point adrift in the overall standings.
But he picked up ANOTHER penalty on the downwind run to the second mark.
And another penalty on the run to the final mark saw Beckett drop to the back of the fleet and down to sixth overall, with no way back as Peschiera took the bronze.
Fans watching on TV were left outraged by what they’d seen.
One said: “Mickey Beckett (Dinghy) virtually had the silver in his hands … & they stopped the race.
“Restart – they gave him an immediate penalty it’s outrageous.”
Another fumed: “I feel sorry for Mickey Beckett man… he had a great lead and going in the early race before abandonment and he got stuff.
“I don’t see the difference in wind from before until this race…. So annoying.”
