In the Olympic regatta happening in Marseille for Paris 2024, Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove of Ireland have maintained their second position in the men’s skiff event for three straight days. Although they were met with tough wind conditions on Tuesday, The Dublin duo was able to keep a small advantage over New Zealand, who previously topped the overall standings.
While it initially seemed like New Zealand’s Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie could not be overtaken, their performance faltered, making it impossible for them to finish among the top 10 in any of the three rounds. In stark contrast, the Spanish duo, Diego Botin le Chever and Florian Trittel Paul, remained utterly steady, securing one third position and two seconds.
Daniel Wiffen also brought pride to Ireland, bagging a gold medal in a mind-blowing 800m swim in Paris.
Comprising the day’s figures, Dickson and Waddilove had a fourth place, a less pleasing 13th place that immediately saw them down to the third position overall. However, they managed a ninth place in the last race, a surprising result as it was in windless conditions across part of the course. This calm proved tricky for the New Zealand team, who were already behind their competition in the 20-boat field. They further slipped down to the third place overall after scoring a disappointing 17th place, leaving Ireland to continue their success in second position while following Spain.
Dickson noted at the end of the race, “One needs to understand that, except for the Spanish, everyone’s going to experience highs and lows. It’s crucial to remain composed, recognising that if the race isn’t going in your favour, you need to continually evaluate and adjust your strategies.”
However, Ireland faced an accusation from the Spanish team in the Protest Room on Monday evening. They alleged that the Irish duo had hampered them in the third race that took place that day. The jury decided the incident was not intentional on Ireland’s part, similar to a rugby player’s boot grazing the touchline chalk, but nevertheless concluded an infringement had taken place. The Irish crew were thus disqualified leading them to settle for an eighth place in that round.
The severe punishment exhausted their solitary worst score discard. It is now mandatory for every competitor aiming for the podium to avoid making mistakes on the last day. Dickson and Waddilove seem to be in line to secure a spot in Thursday’s final medal race. However, to clinch a position on the podium, they require their top performance yet.