Murphy goes close
Ireland's Annalise Murphy had to settle for fifth place as China's Xu Lijia took gold in the Laser Radial.
Last Updated: 06/08/12 6:03pm
Olympic debutant Annalise Murphy narrowly missed out on Ireland's first medal of London 2012.
The 22-year-old Murphy enjoyed an impressive week and came into the race as one of four sailors challenging for a podium spot in the Laser Radial class.
The Dubliner won the first four races of the Olympic regatta but tapered off as the week progressed, leaving her third overall heading into the medal race.
Xu, Evi Van Acker, Murphy and Marit Bouwmeester all had a serious chance of winning gold as only one point separated the quartet and it was Murphy who got off to the best start as she rounded the first mark in the lead.
The Irish sailor, though, dropped down to ninth during the second leg as China's Xu moved into the lead, despite being forced to do a penalty turn.
Xu was still ahead around the third and fourth marks, although Bouwmeester pulled herself up from eighth to third in the penultimate downwind leg.
The Dutch sailor could not jump above Xu or Great Britain's Ali Young, though, and rounded the fifth mark in the same position.
Belgium's Van Acker moved ahead of Murphy in that final upwind and remained ahead of the Irish sailor for the remainder of the race to take bronze.
Further up the fleet, Bouwmeester was unable to find a way past Xu in latter stages so took silver, leaving China to celebrate yet another gold medal at London 2012.
Aussie joy
In the men's Laser, Tom Slingsby banished the nightmare of his Olympic experience four years ago to secure Australia's second gold medal of London 2012.
The 27-year-old went into the 2008 Games as overriding favourite to top the podium but did not even make the medal race and finished in 22nd place.
Slingsby put that behind him to top the podium by seeing off the threat of Pavlos Kontides, whose silver is Cyprus' first medal in Olympic history.
Hot on the heels of Slingsby's success in the Laser class, Australia's Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen mathematically secured gold in the 49er class.
The pair got a first and third today to make their lead unassailable heading into the medal race.
Outteridge and Jensen have only got to turn up to compete in Wednesday's medal race - even if they finish last - to clinch the victory.
The pair are 28 points clear of New Zealand's Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who are assured of silver as they are 32 points ahead of Denmark.
British pair Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes sit fifth overall after a 17th and seventh today, leaving them six points off bronze medal position
