Sailing duo secure Olympic spots

Young sailors Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell have been named as the latest members of Team GB for the London 2012 Olympics.

Patience and Bithell, both aged 25, will compete in the men's 470 Class, the British Olympic Association announced on Monday, 200 days before the opening ceremony of the Games.

The pair had to see off the challenge of double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers, sailing with Chris Grube, and double world champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis to win the selection spot.

Team GB sailing team leader Stephen Park said: "Campaigning to represent Team GB at the Games in this class is probably the hardest challenge.

"Luke and Stuart have come a long way since they started sailing together back in 2009, and are a classic example of how getting the right complement of skillsets for helm and crew in the boat can really launch sailors' careers."

The pair won silver medal at last month's world championships and the confirmation of their inclusion brings to 21 the number of athletes who have been selected for Team GB.

Patience, from Helensburgh, Scotland, said: "Even though we weren't sailing together at the time, Stuart and I by complete coincidence were in the same room when London was announced as the hosts of the 2012 Olympic Games. I feel so privileged and am so excited to have been selected.

"We have just one goal and that's to win a gold medal this summer in London so selection is by no means the end of the job."

Bithell, from Rochdale, added: "Although we never doubted ourselves, it's still a big relief to have been selected and to know that we'll be there on the startline at our first Olympic Games and doing our best to bring home gold.

"As our coach put it when we learned of our selection 'we've climbed one peak, now we need to climb another, and the sunset's a whole lot nicer from the next one'."

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