Robert Scheidt, Brazilian Legend
by Daniel Smith, World Sailing 3 Aug 2016 14:01 BST
3 August 2016
Robert Scheidt © Sailing Energy / World Sailing
Robert Scheidt is the man of the Rio 2016 sailing competition, as Ben Ainslie (GBR) was the man of London 2012. The Brazilian sailor heads his sixth Olympic Games at home and his goal is to get his sixth Olympic medal. If he achieves it, he will become the athlete with the most medals in the history of Olympic sailing. He will also consolidate himself as the best Brazilian athlete, the only one with six medals. And if he jumps on the highest level of the podium of the Laser class, he will become the only Brazilian sportsman to hold three gold medals.
Scheidt experienced his first Olympic glory 20 years ago but now, at 43 years old, he does not see himself as the favourite in the Rio 2016 Laser event. "I don't have the dominance I used to have anymore," he says. But the Brazilian energy may help him to enter into the Olympic legend... once more.