Micky Beckett: Welshman confident of Olympic success after World bronze
- Published
Micky Beckett also finished behind Matt Wearn at last year's Olympic test event in Marseille - the venue for the Paris 2024 regatta
Welsh sailor Micky Beckett is targeting Olympic gold after taking bronze at the ILCA 7 Men's World Championships.
Beckett, from Solva in west Wales, finished third behind winner Matt Wearn and runner-up Hermann Tomasgaard in Adelaide.
But the 28-year-old still believes he can overcome Australian Wearn at this summer's Paris Games.
"Matt has clearly set the benchmark for what needs to be done to win," said Beckett.
"He sails in a consistently good way and often, not far off perfection.
"But I know I can beat him, particularly in the kind of conditions we're going to get in the Mediterranean. There's a bit of work to do to get there but it's motivating to have him setting such a high benchmark. "
Beckett missed out on selection for the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic regattas, but was one of the first athletes to be named by Team GB for Paris 2024.
In Adelaide he brushed off a penalty in qualifying to win bronze with 41 points.
"It was a hell of a week," said Beckett.
"I had one unfortunate rules incident on day one and started in tenth. I had to work my way up through the field and it was absolutely gruelling.
"It was the toughest week of sailing of my life. I'm battered and bruised but to have the composure to finish that high up in the field in conditions that don't suit me is very pleasing."