Emma’s family fortune
A LITTLE bit of unfinished family business was dealt with yesterday when Emma Wilson, the youngest member of the British sailing squad, took bronze in the windsurfing.
Her mother is former world champion Penny Way who never managed to obtain an Olympic medal in her two appearances in 1992 and 1996. She finished sixth and seventh.
Wilson, 22, was not born when her mother contested those regattas.
Twenty-five years later with the bronze won, Emma jumped into the water in celebration, but it was tinged with annoyance because she was already assured of a top-three finish.
She went into the medal race lying second behind China’s Lu Yunxiu.
This meant Wilson had to beat her rival by two places and finish ahead of France’s Charline Picon.
But Picon won the five-leg shootout, Wilson was second and Yunxiu third. So gold to the Chinese windsurfer, silver to Picon and bronze to the Brit in the lightest of winds.
‘I gave it everything and I’m super happy to get that medal. I just emptied my body out there,’ said Wilson.
‘I’ve come fourth so many times, it means so much to get on the podium.’