Life since London for Helena Lucas + Video

by Paul Smith, Sportsbeat on 11 Jul 2013 Britain's very first Paralympic sailing gold medallist, Helena Lucas, is attempting to broaden her skills this summer with Rio 2016 firmly in her mind. The 34-year-old returned to the London 2012 venue in Weymouth last month for the Sail for Gold regatta, though she was this time beaten into first place by fellow Brit Megan Pascoe, and forced to settle for silver.

That was just the start of what is a busy summer for Lucas, who will set sail in several keelboat classes throughout the season with the aim to benefit from the qualities of other sailors and ensure she is in the best place possible to defend her Paralympic title in three years time.



'I got back into competition towards the end of April with the World Cup regatta, and I competed back at Weymouth for the first time at Sail for Gold,' she explained.

'I'm slowly easing my way in and getting myself back into racing and competition.'

'I have quite a busy summer coming up. I'm not just competing in the 2.4mR class, but I'm looking to go sailing in some other keelboat classes just to expand my knowledge and my experience of sailing, and to try and learn and gain some more experience from sailing with other people.

'It's very much looking onwards and forwards to Rio.'

Lucas was speaking ahead of The National Lottery Anniversary Run on Sunday 21 July, which includes a five-mile course around the Olympic Park for 10,000 runners and a shorter 2km family run, with over 2,000 places for children and an accompanying adult.

Both take in iconic London 2012 venues and finish on the track in the stadium, where the friends and family of the runners will be waiting to cheer them across the line. It will be the first sports event in the stadium since the Games and 15,000 people will take part.