Fletcher-Scott embarks on new journey with new partner Hawes

The big question for any athlete after winning Olympic gold is what do you do once you've reached the summit? For some, rebuilding that motivation to go again just is not possible, whereas others are driven to do it all over, to taste glory once more. Ad/> In the case of Tokyo 49er champions Stuart Bithell and Dylan Fletcher-Scott, those diverging paths meant for a parting of ways, the former calling it a day while the latter continued with the target of Paris. Tokyo 2020Tunisian sailor Guezguez dies after training accident in waters off the capital Tunis12/04/2022 AT 10:24 That left Fletcher-Scott looking for a new partner and the search quickly narrowed to 2017 European Under-23 champion Rhos Hawes.

The duo officially joined forces in January with the clock already ticking for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games with just a three-year cycle following the postponement of Tokyo. Fletcher-Scott explained his thought process: «I think the most important factor is do you still have that fire and hunger to do it again? After the Olympics I spent some time thinking about that. »I was always quite keen but you never really know how you are going to feel having won a medal.

Once I was happy that I wanted to do it again and thought it was worth it, always in the back of my mind was sailing with Rhos, we'd talked about it on the previous cycle if Stu stopped and I wanted to carry on. «You still never know, it's a big thing at the end of the day. From a lot of aspects, it felt like it was a really good fit.

»It takes a while to sink in (that you have won Olympic gold). It's staggering to be Olympic champion. A lot of athletes go through it where you get a little depressed.