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Morgan Treacy/INPHO
Laser Radial

Annalise Murphy enjoyed the best possible start to her race week in Rio

Carlow man Finn Lynch is sitting 21st in his race.

Updated 00.00

ANNALISE MURPHY CLAIMED a brilliant first place in race one of her Laser Radial class sailing event today.

The Dubliner sat fourth overall after two races in difficult Rio conditions as she followed up victory with a 14th place in race two. But Murphy was then later moved up to third in the overall standings after China’s Lijia Xu was disqualified from race 2 for an infringement.

Murphy, who has spent a lot of time in Rio this year to gain experience on the course, made her intent known from the off, reaching the first marker in seventh place as one of the leading pack.

From there, she only improved, advancing into second and then first in quick succession on the downwind and then pulled away from away from Xu, the reigning Olympic champion who was then overtaken in second by London 2012 bronze medalist Evi van Acker of Belgium.

While Murphy got held up on the right side of a widely-spread field in race two, Xu came home in fourth and leads the overnight standings. There are 10 races throughout the week before the medal race takes place next Monday, so there is plenty of sailing still to be done. But Murphy could hardly have hoped for a better opening in difficult conditions.


The42: Rio 2016 Olympics / SoundCloud

In the men’s Laser class, 20-year-old Finn Lynch is 21st after his two opening races today. The Carlow man came home in 14th and 27th place.

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