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Olympics 2024: Team GB's Ellie Aldridge wins gold in kite final

Eleanor Aldridge secured Team GB's first sailing gold medal of the Paris Olympics on Thursday as she won the women's kite final in dominant fashion.

France's Lauriane Nolot won silver while Netherlands sailor Annelous Lammerts claimed bronze.

Daniela Moroz of the United States came fourth in the first-to-three wins women's kiteboarding final, with winds holding up for the race on the Mediterranean off Marseille, in which the sailors reached speeds of more than 30 knots.

Aldridge had to overhaul Nolot, who went into the final with two wins under her belt thanks to her performance in the qualifying series, with the British kite sailor only having one.

She took control of the first final race to even up the points with Nolot after a fascinating duel with the Frenchwoman, and in the next race seized the initiative from the start, to lead the other kite boarders around the course.

"I still can't believe it, really it's crazy," Aldridge said. "Today was all about winning races, if you don't win the races then you're not going to win so that's how I approached the day.

"The first race was really close but I just about managed to get in front and stay in front and it was the same again for the second race."

The men's final has been postponed until Friday as the competitors were not able to start by the designated time.

Aldridge's gold takes Team GB's tally for the Games to 13 and was their 50th overall.

"It's been incredible, we haven't had the easiest conditions and it's been tricky but it's been really cool and I hope everyone watching on TV thinks the same thing. It's been incredible," Aldridge said.