2016 Rio Olympic Games - Shaw's disappointment at Rio 'unfulfillment'

by Imogen Stanley on 15 Aug 2016 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games - Bryony Shaw admitted she felt “unfulfilled” after finishing her Rio 2016 in ninth overall today (Sunday 14 August).

Shaw, who went into the final double points Medal Race, with the faintest of medal hopes finished the race in sixth overall as France’s Charline Picon took gold.

The Beijing 2008 bronze medallist sailed a brilliantly consistent second half of the regatta with scores all inside the top five to claw her way back into Medal Race contention, after the opening six races had put her firmly on the back foot.

But it wasn’t quite enough, and having wanted to end on the high of a good Medal Race performance, Shaw was left reflecting on what might have been in Rio.

She said: “I felt unfulfilled after London and I feel unfulfilled here. Any time you don't medal or you feel underperformed to your ability it’s tough to take.

“I had a good cycle in the build up to 2012 and didn't have a great Games and the same has happened here. It's potentially a worse scenario here as I was in good health and good form, so this time it's come down more to mistakes and misfortune.

“There was kind of disbelief after day one, and I've ground my way back from a tough mental place. I feel amazement actually that I haven't really performed to my best this week. But it's all in hindsight and you learn from it. Hopefully I'll come back stronger for the next one. All of these things will be learners for the next cycle

'It's tough as the Olympics is what we all aim for. The fact is this has not been my week, I've still had some amazing comments from the other commentators and coaches. I feel like I've had bad fortune, but it's been a great four years.”

Shaw was in the spotlight before the starting horn even sounded for today’s race as she was involved in a start line tussle that resulted in eventual bronze medallist, Stefaniya Elfutina, completing two sets of penalty turns either side of the start.

With the wind dropping to as little as four knots, opportunities to make up places around the racecourse got fewer and fewer as the sailors had to use all their strength and guile to pump their boards into even just moving forwards.

Shaw added: “I had a couple of incidents on the start line. The Russian girl was trying to find a gap where there was no gap on the start line and that all set me back in the pack. I knew I wanted to be going left, but I wanted to be going left having had a good start and good positioning above that group. The girls went over to the left side with more pressure and the tide helped as well. So it was quite hampering.'

The silver medal went to China’s Peina Chen who finished the medal race in third.