Two-time Olympic champion of Laser class, Brazilian sailor Robert Scheidt and his crew partner Bruno Prada got the silver medal in the Star class after ten competitive races on Wednesday.
The eight-time Laser class world champion had his first major victory in the small Optimist class, becoming South American champion at 11. He started attracting attention after capturing the gold in the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina followed by his first World Title in Spain in the same year.
In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Scheidt captured his first gold medal in the Laser class, defeating Briton Ben Ainslie, who has already captured the gold in Finn class on August 17th during Beijing Olympics, in a dramatic finish in which both were disqualified in the final race after prematurely crossing the start line.
In 2000, after his fourth World Title, Scheidt was the red-hot favorite to win gold in Sydney Olympic Games, however, he was disqualified in the final race after an amazing and controversial battle again with his rival Ben Ainslie and got the silver. But he went on to win a second gold in the 2004 Athens Games while Ainslie switched to the heavier Finn class.
After winning his eighth world title in Brazil in 2005, Scheidt began to compete in the Star class with Bruno Prada, who had done four Olympic campaigns in a Finn. Cooperating well they claimed a world title in 2007 in Portugal and won a gold of the Pre-Olympics in Qingdao.
"I have fulfilled myself in the Laser and I want to have something new and different. And the Star class is very strong in Brazil. And I have already had a few races in Star and I like it,” said Scheidt.
As flag bearer for Brazil in the opening ceremony at Beijing Olympics, Scheidt still felt excited several days after he returned to Qingdao.
“It was a great feeling to be a flag bearer. It’s a great honor and a special moment for me,” said Scheidt.
Competing in his fourth Olympics, Scheidt has great expectations to win a gold in his new class. However the competition proves be very tough for them and they did not perform quite well in the first two races. But they kept their mind cool and performed well in the latter races and in the end they got the silver medal.
And it is amazing that Scheidt’s girlfriends Gintare Volungeviciute who competed in Laser Radial also got a silver medal on Tuesday.
“It’s somewhat romantic. Silver to silver, it matches well,” said Scheidt.