Mills, thrills & bellyaches
British star makes sailing history after French complaint thrown out
ONE simple phone call clinched it. Back in 2017, Hannah Mills was wavering whether even to compete in Tokyo and Eilidh McIntyre braced herself for a ‘nerve-racking’ conversation.
‘Let’s do it,’ she urged Mills. ‘I can help you win it again.’
And so it came to pass under a sky so clear you could see Mount Fuji from the watchtower that stands like stilts above Enoshima, this tiny island off which so much of the best of British sailing has unfurled itself these past few days.
In the concluding race of a regatta that our seafarers have dominated, she became the most successful female sailor in Olympic history, courtesy of a second gold medal in the 470 class to go with her victory in Rio five years ago and a silver at London 2012. Here at the beach, close to a row of cafes serving sashimi and ice cream, she jumped into the water with McIntyre at the high point of her sporting life, and Union Flags, held by fellow members of this supportive team enjoying their collective glories, were waved.
This was their third gold and fifth medal in all. They push their shoulder back at the top of the table and rule the waves for the fifth time in the past six Olympic Games.
Mills has been a leading light in this endeavour, which is why she was asked to carry the flag into the opening ceremony, which seems half-a-lifetime ago now, her 5ft 2in frame dwarfed by fellow bearer Moe Sbihi, the superb rower who stands 6ft 8in.
Cardiff-born Mills admitted to feeling sick with nerves for the last few weeks. ‘Eating was a chore, sleeping was a chore,’ she said.
Spare a thought, too, for McIntyre and the pressure on her wider shoulders.
As a girl she walked out of her bedroom door to see her father Mike’s sailing gold medal from Seoul in 1988 staring at her from the wall opposite.
‘He’s been my inspiration my entire life,’ said the 27-year-old. Pointing to her medal, she added: ‘I’ve always dreamed of having one of these and I just can’t believe it. It’s been such a long journey, and it feels like 25 years of dreaming.’
As for Mills, she is done with the Olympics now, aged 33. But what a way to go out, with only one caveat and not one of her choosing or her design.
It came at the end of the race when her reputation was needlessly questioned by the bronzemedal winning French. They launched a protest, claiming rather outlandishly that Britain had orchestrated the medal race to help the Poles finish with silver instead of them.
But the jury of five international judges dismissed the bizarre case inside 45 minutes and a large roar went up from the British contingent when the verdict came in.
They were also hollered on by locals, having set up camp here at a building a seven-minute water trip, and no traffic delays, away across the bay in Hayama.
Their base, with its own gym and table tennis room, was the team’s haven, the place they bonded. It served them better than a hotel and its selection was one of the small details the management, led by Australian boss Mark Robinson, conjured up to try to steal a slender gain.
No stone has been left unturned. The sailors have trained at Portland in tents heated up to prepare them for the 35°C heat they would face in the land of the frying sun. They have designed the most up-to-date ice vests and breathable lifejackets, and staff even supply slush-puppie drinks to their charges as a quick way to bring down core temperature.
Yesterday, the Brits seemed serene in second place in the medal race, a far higher position than they required having taken a 14-point lead into the finale, even where points counted double.
Yet in the closing moments, Mills and McIntyre suddenly fell down to fifth, allowing Poland up to fourth. That put the Poles level with the French on 54 points each overall, but ahead on countback.
Mills, determined not to let the shenanigans of the French protestors spoil her last act in Olympic sailing, represented herself and McIntyre in the jury room.
The essence of Mills’s defence, it seems, was that the Poles had the right of way at the final mark, and the Brits, rather than take any chances, gave them room.
Both Mills and McIntyre were a picture of magnanimity afterwards in the face of their accusers, including on the podium.
Mills said: ‘We wanted to race our race and to win a gold medal. That’s all we really cared about.’
Yes, and they did it fairly, which is an honour Mills can wear along with her many laurels.