With one year to go until the postponed Tokyo Olympics begin, Britain’s gold-medal hopeful in sailing talks about how the delay of a lifetime dream has affected her
Eilidh McIntyre offers profuse apologies that are completely unnecessary. A gentle question about her likely emotions this week, when she would have expected to be part of an Olympic opening ceremony, has triggered tears. The
British sailor, partner of Hannah Mills in the 470 class, has seen a lifetime’s dream delayed 12 months by the
Coronavirus pandemic.
“I will feel sad,” says McIntyre. Her demeanour embodies a gross understatement. “A couple of weeks back we should have been having our kit-out day before flying out to
Japan for our last regatta before the Games. There would have been a big send off ... and I was pretty sad that week.