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Sail away with it

Rio Olympics 2016: Great Britain’s Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark win gold to bring partnership to dream end

Team GB'S sailors cruised to the top gong by finishing eight on the day - knowing they only needed to cross the finish line

GREAT BRITAIN'S Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have brought their 470 partnership to a dream end by wrapping up Olympic gold.

Four years on from taking silver on the home waters of Weymouth and Portland, the duo arrived in Brazil determined to go one better.

 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark finished eighth on the day to claim Olympic gold
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Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark finished eighth on the day to claim Olympic goldCredit: Getty Images
 The Brit duo pulled down the curtain on a fantastic partnership with a gold medal
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The Brit duo pulled down the curtain on a fantastic partnership with a gold medalCredit: Getty Images
 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark knew they just needed to cross the line to win gold
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Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark knew they just needed to cross the line to win goldCredit: Reuters
 Dozens of family, friends and fans greeted the pair as they beached
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Dozens of family, friends and fans greeted the pair as they beachedCredit: EPA

 

It was a challenge Mills, 28, and Clark, 37 next week, met with aplomb, producing an opening series as impressive as it was consistent to see them head into the women's 470 medal race all but assured of gold.

The British duo merely had to complete the double-point medal race without disqualification and duly did so, easing home in eighth in the delayed finale to rubber-stamp glory.

It takes Britain's sailing medal haul to three after Giles Scott's Finn triumph and Nick Dempsey's silver in the men's RS:X, seeing the team meet their minimum UK Sport target.

 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark sail to glory in front of Sugarloaf Mountain
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Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark sail to glory in front of Sugarloaf MountainCredit: PA:Press Association
 The Brit champions managed to one-up the silver they won at London 2012
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The Brit champions managed to one-up the silver they won at London 2012Credit: PA:Press Association

Most importantly, though, it saw Mills and Clark bring the curtain down on their partnership in the best possible way.

The duo won London 2012 silver just 18 months after pairing up, with the desire to go one better driving them onto Brazil.

Clark always planned to retire after her third Olympics and can do so having wrapped up gold with Mills in front of Sugarloaf Mountain.

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