Team GB win 13th gold of Olympics 2024 as Ellie Aldridge becomes first ever winner of brand new kitesurfing competition
ELLIE ALDRIDGE has won Team GB’s 13th gold medal of the Paris 2024 Olympics by triumphing in the women’s kite event.
Aldridge, 27, beat off all competition to secure a dominant victory at the Marseille Marina.
The Poole-born star finished nine seconds clear of the Netherlands’ Annelous Lammerts in the last race to triumph – winning both legs of the final.
Lammerts, 30, earned the bronze medal, with France’s world champion Lauriane Nolot finishing as runner-up.
Aldridge had earned silver in last year’s Olympic test event.
But she performed incredibly to go one better this time around.
Prior to the Olympics, Aldridge revealed that she’d had to bulk up in order to excel in kitesurfing, a sport still in its infancy.
After increasing her body weight from approximately 60kg to 70kg, 5ft 8in Aldridge told the Telegraph: “Pretty much everyone in the fleet would not be like this if they could choose.
“For me, it’s not even the aesthetics of it.
“Obviously, I’d rather not be this big, but it’s not because I don’t like the look of it, it’s not being able to do the things I like to do.
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“I love kitefoiling, but I also love the other things I used to do, like cycling, running, climbing. But I’m restricted.
“It’s been a conscious decision to cut down on anything that will burn unnecessary calories.
“As with a lot of females who got into the sport before it became apparent that heavy weights were beneficial, you’re kind of in too deep now.
“This is the final bit so you have to do whatever you can to be better and faster.
“It’s definitely the bit I don’t like about the sport and one of the reasons I don’t think it will be very sustainable.”